Many Worlds One Shot Collection
by Butterfly-Muse
Summary: One Shot Series Collection of fragmented ideas ranging from anything to crack, sad, happy, serious and mainly features lots of Hope/Light, other pairings are no pairings at all.
1. Not Always Right

**Alpha:** So some of you may remember (maybe not it's been awhile…) that I had a series of one-shot drabbles ranging from the happy, sad, serious, and crack variety; a lot of them written when I was tired as all hell and was tickled pink by the idea of crack drabbles. All mainly featuring Hope/Light, other's different pairings, some no pairings… It was at one point called Inner Thoughts for lack of a better working title and as I read through all of them, I decided to re-post them back up under a different title cuz why the hell not? So here they are again in all their old glory! Before I even knew there was going to be a 13-2 and 13-3! A couple of them turned into an actual story, some still give me an idea for a multi-chaptered story but I have enough on my plate as it is…

 **Disclaimer:** Don''t own, fair use, can't sue! Onto Drabble series…

Many Worlds One Shot Collection

 **I- Not Always Right (Light, Hope/Elida)**

Emotions are fickle things, little bastards, I'm better off without them. If I didn't feel anything, I wouldn't be running like the hounds of hell were on my heels, in this unyielding downpour searching for you…

 _"You're right Light…"_ no, I'm not right. Not about this!

I wanted to shout that out to you. I wanted to order you to heel to the words I wanted to shout to you. I don't like seeing you hurt, upset, or angry with me. Like the way I'm seeing you now. I've hurt you yet again, I know.

 _"You're always right."_

I can hear the bitterness in your voice when you say it that way! Please don't say that, I can be wrong too, I'm not perfect. I only said those things because I was only looking out for your best interests!

Or was I selfishly just trying to protect myself?

 _"I don't feel anything for you after all. It really was a silly crush. I had no right to think it was more, after all I'm still just a kid to you!"_

You walked away from me that day, near to tears and running as fast and as far away as you could from me. The venom in your voice was enough to strike me cold like poison from a viper.

I never wanted to admit not even to myself that your words have such an effect on me. Not when your feelings were poured out to me. Not once, but twice. Both times, I carted them aside as if they were nothing. I feel ashamed. And now days later, here I am running through the nastiest thunderstorm of the year looking for you, hoping for forgiveness and to save the fragile friendship between us.

I think after everything I've done up until this point, I finally have an epiphany.

About how I feel for you, but I am still scared to admit this realization to you. But for you Hope, for you who has put up with my stubbornness, my coldness…I'll try to begin to open up a little more to you.

Running closer and closer to where that small bakery I knew you loved to go was, I stop just at the corner. Cautious to not get any closer to be noticed by you and her. I hear you whisper to her in that low deep tenor of intimacy you had only ever used with me.

It makes me feel…I feel my teeth grinding and my jaw tightening.

I see her with her dark locks of shiny silky hair, not a gray hair in sight, young heart shaped face once holding a sad sort of look now brighten to see you near.

It makes me feel…well I know I don't like it!

"Hope…" It was all I could do to call your name in a strained sort of whisper as I watched you kneeling down to level your gaze with _that_ girl in the rain.

Elida, she is as pretty as her name. A long time friend of yours, you knew her long before our paths crossed during her adventures as L'Cie. And more than anything, she's open and transparent, ambitious to a fault and not afraid to show her feelings…and she's young.

I frowned, drops of rain flowing down my face like a deluge of tears because I was too proud to cry myself. I admit, I was feeling a strong sense of pure unadulterated envy towards this Elida.

She now had what I was too blind to see I always carried or was it just me being willfully ignorant?

I don't know, all I know is as I watched you and her stand together, you placing an arm around her to keep her close and warm, shielding her with your umbrella and smiling with that beautiful smile I secretly love directing it at her, I knew you no longer held me on a pedestal.

Elida replaced me and I knew the damage was done. I could try to intervene more in the context of 'looking out for you', make up excuses to be near you but that wouldn't work anymore, I'll only be a nuisance to you wouldn't I? You're so smart, you'll see right through those silly antics.

And I am too damn proud to make a bigger fool out of myself as I already have chasing after you.

I understand when to give up and let things be. It is my fault after all that you went running into her arms isn't it?

She laughs, eyes alight with awe, her voice tinkers like a bell in the storm. My heart squeezes tight as I watch her hold you as close and as tight as she can. And when that is not enough to make my heart completely stop, I watch her move in closer to you, see lips painted red move in to meet yours…

I turn away from the scene, wishing to see no more. My back turn to you, fists clenched at my sides, I begin to trek back home. To get away from you and her…It is not as if this is the end of the world, I'm not that affected in the least. I'll continue to carry my head high, masking my thoughts and feelings, continue with my duty here and when my duty is complete, I'll go away for good to my home in Bodhum.

You're wrong Hope Estheim, Claire Farron is not always right.

God, I wish I could remember how to cry.

 **Alpha:** This first drabble though…


	2. Soothing Fires, Precocious Flirt

**Alpha:** meh here have two more drabbles.

Again the same rules apply.

Many Worlds One Shot Collection

 **III- Soothing Fire (Brynhildr/Sazh)**

S

he had been along for the adventure, usually out of sight, residing somewhere within the recesses of his subconscious mind. Out of all the humans that were ever turned into L'Cie by the will of the Fal'Cie, he was the most interesting.

This L'Cie despite his odd behavior to be the first to go run and hide, had in fact stared her down and took her on without backing down. She, a fiery, strong willed, and dangerous Eidolon. An entity of fire and lightning; she had been bested by this human male.

Being connected with him, gave her access to every thought and memory he's already held in all the forty years of his miniscule human life. She admired her L'Cie's dedication and drive to save his only child.

She liked that Sazh Katzroy did not need for her to intervene when his emotions became too great to bear, deciding to handle his situations all on his own. This man was full of soul, a burning light that attracted her to him in the first place. He was full of compassion, and did well as a sort of father figure role to the rest of his small group of traveling companions, she surmised he had wonderful learning skills by raising his son alone.

Brynhildr knew he would always reminisce about his late wife, but felt that even if it still made him feel melancholy, the pain of loss was not as great as it had been years ago when he first lost her. Thinking of happier times with her melted the sadness away and he'll come out of his thoughts with a small smile on his face. That woman was a lucky one, very beautiful too from what she could see from his memories of her.

She decided that she will help this man fulfill his focus, giving him free access to all of her powers and coming to his aide when he summoned her. It was all she could do for this L'Cie that piqued her curiosity.

Knowing that the man whose mind she invaded, not intentionally of course was currently resting up before he and the other humans continued on their journey; Brynhildr wondered to herself if maybe…

Perhaps there was a better way for eidolons and by extension the Fal'Cie to communicate with these human creatures. They seemed to both despise and respect them, it was quite the relationship they had going between them for centuries and did not seem to ever end, even when these humans saved the only world they knew and she knows they will.

But being along for the metaphorical ride, Brynhildr would silently go out of her way to wonder if there was a way to give up this spiritual immortality for just a moment. Know what it was like to live like the humans whom the Fal'Cie played with like toys.

She would give it all up, if it meant she could better understand this Sazh Katzroy.

 **IV- Precocious Flirt (Vanille/Hope/Lightning)**

She giggled.

He smirked.

She snorted.

She and him looked over at her with a questioning gaze. She refused to give a reply and continued to walk ahead. He and her followed after.

He lightly snagged her ponytail. She gasped. He winked at her. She shied away.

And she let out a breath of annoyance. They both continued to ignore her they were used to her attitudes by now.

His back was to her, she pounced upon him, he gave a yelp of surprise and she was near to pecking his cheek.

And she grunted, hand on her hips, pausing and staring with a bland look.

He gulped. She backed away. Their faces both flush.

And she walked to him, closer now by his side.

She looked put off.

He looked embarrassed.

And she turned around to look at him, but not before glaring death at her, and to make it clear who was the better woman. She flicked his forehead then leaned forward to kiss it too.

She got the point.

His face was on fire.

And she walked with a little sash-shay her hips as she walked ahead with her head held high, absentmindedly flipping her hair with a haughty air.

Fang chose that moment to catch up to Vanille just then, perplexed by Lightning's behavior, "What was that all about?"

Vanille only laughed behind her hands, "Oh, you know, Light doesn't like to be outnumbered in anything."

They both smirked.

She continued her trek.

And he followed behind her swaying hips.

 **Alpha:** I still chuckle at these…god I'm so damn cheesy.


	3. Cruel

**Alpha:** ah, same as the first.

 **Disclaimer:** SAME AS THE FIRST!

Many Worlds One Shot Collection

 **Cruel (Lightning/Hope)**

Their so pretty and carefree, they're bright and intelligent, can be flirty and coy.

But sometimes Hope can forget that teenage girls can be very mean and nasty and very, very cruel. He never gave it much thought before. The females he ever interacted and got to know were already adults. Independent, motherly, protective, strong-willed, graceful, beautiful, and powerful individuals who didn't have a cruel bone in their bodies. Sure, they each had their moments. Light especially, but they had never been the epitome of cruel.

And since they were, including his own mother his impression of what all females should be like, it never crossed his mind that his own friend, Elida could be that way.

He should have known to pay more attention to the warning bells that went off in his head when he saw Lightning sitting alone in the classroom after the students left some time ago for the rest of the evening. She was busy glancing every few seconds to her own reflection in a small violet compact before looking away. She had a blank and somber expression, lost in her own thoughts. Her defenses were down now, believing that no one was near to see the vulnerability she kept inside.

Light didn't know he was there, silently observing her peculiar behavior. Other than looking back and away from herself in the small round mirror, she was forging this habit of playing with the tresses of her hair that hung over her left shoulder with her hands.

He softly knocked on the slightly ajar door, peeking further inside the room at his temporary math professor.

"Light, are you busy?"

She paused her hands from playing in her hair, bringing them to rest on her thighs and turned her attention to the young teen making his way into the room. She gave a small curt nod and a slight smile, inviting him inside.

"Why are you still here, did you leave something behind?" she asked him.

"Uh— no, I had a surprised student council meeting earlier…" he trailed off. Looking at Light with a worried expression.

"What about you? I thought you would be gone by now."

"Busy with last minute notes for the pop quiz tomorrow," she said with a straight face, seeing she forgot the compact still out and not a paper full of Algebra II notes in sight. She quickly did away with the small make-up case, refusing to let her obvious embarrassment show at the lie she just gave.

Hope had a slight smirk on his face even as he felt a little perplexed at seeing Light with such a feminine object, "You know Light, you don't have to be embarrassed about keeping a little make-up kit—"

"It's not mines!" she shouted, her anger directed more on whatever she was thinking and not truly with him, "I am not insecure at all about my looks and could really careless what others think about me!"

He looked a little poignant just then, knowing she was lying, "Of course not Light, your confidence in yourself is what makes you all the more alluring."

The strawberry haired woman looked up with much awe at the honesty and sincerity of Hope's words. A blush was fighting to make itself known all over her face but she pushed it down, instead looking away from the young man.

It was silent between them for a while and the silver haired boy shuffled his feet.

"I should be going now, see ya in the morning," he smiled awkwardly at the woman who refused to glance back at him. He turned on his heels to leave her in peace.

"Hope?"

And he paused in his step at her small and meek voice.

He never heard Light sound so unlike her usual self.

Or maybe this shy, unsure, fragile side of Light was also her true self that she kept hidden underneath?

He looked back at her and was surprise to see a look of timidity there, "What is it Light?"

"Do you mean that?" she was apprehensive of his answer.

He smiled genuinely to her, nodding his head, "Yes I do."

She smiled a little seeming pleased with his answer, but he continued on anyway. "See Light, I've always thought you were pretty before, but when you show more of your real self, I find it endearing and think it makes you more beautiful."

It was Lightning's turn to be in momentary shock as she watched the youth walk out of the classroom and into the empty halls of the Academy.

When he was gone, she looked at the violet compact, snorted, shook her head in disbelief, and dumped the god awful thing in the trash bin, never to grace her eyes again.

Outside in the halls as he walked, Hope remembered seeing his friend Elida with that same violet compact. The same one Light had confiscated from her earlier today during third period while Light was giving instructions to the class for the first half of the period.

He frowned. He didn't know Elida to be a snob, she was soo…sugary sweet and nice that it would overwhelm even Vanille.

So he was having a hard time seeing her any different.

He didn't know how or when it started or how she done it, but he was confident she was responsible in some form with Light's short relapse into herself not too long ago in the classroom.

No question it was about her looks.

He was beginning to realize that women were horrendous monsters when it suited them.


	4. A Break from Normalcy

**(D-Butterfly)Alpha:** same as the first.

 **Disclaimer:** SAME AS THE FREAKING FIRST YA'LL!

Many Worlds One Shot Collection

 **A Break from Normalcy (Hope/Mini-Light)**

He wouldn't have believed it if he didn't see it with his very own eyes!

This was unfathomable, illogical, **unorthodox** even!

And Hope can testify to seeing some of the most bizarre things during the time he traveled with his pseudo family when they were L'Cie. The things he saw on Pulse and still being discovered (or re-discovered depending on how one viewed it) did not compare to the phenomena facing him now!

It opened its eyes.

Because it was sleeping soundly (on top of an office desk that belonged to a certain pink haired woman) before Hope yelped from panic and shock.

At least it didn't cry yet.

Those large round non-judging, innocent, curious blue eyes.

Then it looked at him, searching, questioning…

And he held his breath….quite literally.

It smiled wide, mouth full of gums and not one pearly tooth in sight.

And it was small, and round, and pink, and, and…AND!

"WHAT IN GRAN PULSE HAS HAPPENED TO LIGHT!" He finally screamed in over exaggerated

despair.

He fell to his knees in front of the tiny baby, still unable to believe it was really Lightning by some sick twist of the Fal'Cie (because damn them, they just HAD to be behind this very not humorous joke, Hope was sure of it) even though he saw with his own eyes the lady of twenty-seven, soundly sleeping morph into this small pink ball of flesh with her GC uniform way too big on her, now looking at him as she laughed in delight.

She must be 'tickled pink' at his state of insanity. She was starting to reach her small arms out to him. He sighed before smiling down at the child, standing to pick her up. He kept her GC uniform wrapped around her. They were going to need to get her some clothes of a smaller variety and fast!

First, Hope was going to have to figure out a way to explain this…out of the ordinary occurrence. He had a feeling he was more likely to be thrown into an asylum before any of the gang will believe what he saw.

His tiny companion was making noises as she grabbed onto his white collared silk shirt. It had her small dribbles of spit, so Hope was sad to say, it wasn't pristine anymore. He watched her with curious fascination, as she was struggling to climb her way up in his arms to lay her pink curly head on his shoulders.

He gave her what she wanted, pushing her up to be more comfortable for them both. She gurgle a tiny laugh before laying a wet one, full of baby spittle on his left cheek. The saliva making a long trail down his face to the junction of his neck, and yet still connecting with her mouth before it broke away to slap against his cheek. Seeming satisfied with her work for the day, she snuggled deeply into his neck, giving a small yawn before closing her eyes and falling asleep as Hope carried her away.

He felt a small pang in his heart at her sweet gesture, "Well, that _type_ of kiss isn't what I've always wanted from Light– but it's a start I guess."

Amazingly, Mini-Light didn't give him any troubles as they were leaving from her job.

And before Hope could deal with explaining to the gang…

He was about to have one hell of a time, explaining the little bundle in his arms to his admirer's co-workers.

"Hehe, things could be worse, Light could have turned into a man."

He shuddered at the thought.

 **Alpha:** Yes…my one-shots, they be srsly random fo'sho!


	5. A Matter of Innocence

**Alpha:** I have a LOT of old one-shots…yea…

 **Disclaimer:** same as the first

Many Worlds One Shot Collection

 **A Matter of Innocence (Hope, Lightning/Vanille/Fang and a cameo from Snow)**

Now Hope considered himself to be a practical child, if a bit emotional at times. Bright and curious, he tackled problems he didn't understand with vigor; having a need and a want to know everything about anything.

So when he had stumbled upon the glorious sight of three feminine figures bathing together…

In the nude…

In a hot spring…

In broad daylight where anyone could just unknowingly walk up on them…

He knew a part of his innocence had been snatched away from him that he was never going to get back. What's more, his mind was going a mile a minute with questions upon questions about the opposite sex. It wasn't like he didn't have some basic knowledge of these things, it's just that what they taught in school vs reality was a gross exaggeration of the real facts.

"How long do you plan on standing there?"

He wasn't fazed from his shock by Fang's question. It was like his entire body just broke down, running out of fuel for the engine. All he could do was look…and look….and stare some more.

Green eyes going from the curved slope in Light's back; her back meeting the flaring of her hips and rounding out to her posterior that was hidden from view under the steamy waters. The pink haired woman of the trio, refused to acknowledge his presence, seeming rather annoyed that he was still there or embarrassed he wasn't sure. To keep up with some modesty, she had her back turned to him, arms crossed over her breasts.

Not that it really mattered at this point.

Then he'll go to the naturally tanned Oerban woman, with hair of wild midnight and piercing green eyes. Fang was making no attempts to even cover her body at all. She seemed to actually enjoy everyone's discomfort, his most of all. She stood proud and tall with a teasing and playful smirk on her lips, water only hiding her from the calves down. Her skin still had droplets of the spring waters clinging to her.

Last but certainly not least, there was Vanille. She looked the most embarrassed of all, ginger curls out of the usual ponytails, now wet and clinging to her skin, doing well to aide the female in hiding her modesty from view. She chose to stay hidden deep in the waters sitting down; only allowing her bent knees and legs be shown above the waters of the hot spring. Through all of this, she still managed to smile at him regardless.

"Hope, I think you should go now?" she suggested to the boy, now coming out of his daze.

"Oh— yea, um, err…" he started to backtrack away.

The three women were still staring at him with such intensity, it made him all the more embarrassed, he started to stutter.

"I'm- I'm very sorry! It was an accident, I swear!" he bowed in apology.

Lightning scoffed, sounding very agitated, "And this is why _I_ said we should have picked another more secluded place!"

Fang waved off Lightning's complaint, "What's done is done."

"And you!" Lightning snapped towards Hope, he flinched straightening up. "You should be leaving, now!"

"S-s-sorry!" he apologized once again, quickly doing as he was told and making a mad dash to camp.

"He's going to have a lot of questions isn't he?" Vanille asked, once he was gone.

"Then you and Fang can indulge him when he asks," Lightning spat, finishing her bath.

"Whatever you say, Solider Girl," Fang chuckled, mock saluting at the bathing woman.

Lightning only simpered, splashing the dark haired woman with water.

As the trio of ladies were continuing their bath, a young silver haired teen was sitting quietly by himself in deep thought. He had seen it all! And he had many questions he was going to have proper answers to.

The logical thing to do was ask the very gender he unintentionally saw a lot of about the very form of their bodies, but Hope feared he wouldn't be very successful in that arena. It would be way too awkward, and he could already see how it would go with each of them.

Light would not bother at all to indulge him, and instead tell him to focus on other more important matters, Fang would just…ugh, she'll tease him more than rightfully necessary. Vanille would give it a try, but that would end up failing more than succeeding. It would be uncomfortable for her and him too.

No, he'll wait until Sazh came back and he'll ask him. He trusted the older man enough to know he wouldn't get Hope in a situation where his eye would be met by the end of a fist.

Which is why, he was never going to strike up this conversation EVER with Snow.

"So I heard you ran into the ladies while they were bathing?"

Hope's heart was close to jumping out of his chest as he heard the teasing voice of one Snow Villiers. He tried to cover up his moment of fright with a scoff that would have made Light ashamed to call him 'apprentice' because it was more like a weak cough.

He did sigh and closed his eyes feeling embarrassed again and a little annoyed. _Dammit and I just said, Snow wouldn't know about my predicament too._

"It's not like I did it on purpose! And I bet it was Fang who spilled the beans wasn't it?"

"Uh– you could say that…"

Hope finally turned around to look at Snow when he heard the slight quiver of uncertainty in his voice. He grimaced while trying to hold in a huge wide grin.

"Whoa! Nice shiner you got there."

"Oh ha ha ha! You're just lucky Sis likes you so much or else you'll be sporting one of these too!"

The quick blush from the comment of Light liking him died quickly for he was too busy staring at the taller male's face to give it more thought. There upon Snow's face, surrounding his poor left eye was the hugest bruise Hope had ever seen before. It was pink, blue, and purple all over. He almost felt sympathetic for the huge oaf. The poor blond was unable to open it a crack.

 _Man that's gonna look uglier in a few more hours, Light really doesn't hold back._

"I dunno Light's thoughts about me and all, but I told you before, It's not like _I_ walked in on them on _purpose_." Snow made a noise at that statement, refusing to give a proper answer.

"You know, Light's really not going to approve of you marrying, much less _dating_ her younger sister after this right?"

Snow just hung his head with a weary sigh.

Hope had an sympathetic smile on his face for the older man.

Yep, he concluded.

Only Sazh was the better choice in these matters…

He hoped, no puns intended.


	6. Justifiable Vices

**Alpha:** And the drabbles continue…

Many Worlds One Shot Collection

 **Justifiable Vices (Lightning)**

 _Pride_

She was a willful and stubborn type. She was also confident and rightly so in her own capabilities.

Because of that, she was not going to admit to anyone even to herself that she felt her ego suffer a huge blow when Hope decided to go to Snow of all people on solving some math equation that she herself had a hard time with.

Forget the fact that Snow actually knew the answer to the problem.

 _Greed_

She wasn't a selfish person or pegged herself as someone with a greed for anything. In fact she was more of the giving type rather than the taking type.

So there was no reason for Vanille to suspect her of taking her sweet strawberry roll cake that Hope had offered Vanille earlier that day.

What? They were good, especially since it was made by her sister. It's not her fault Vanille waited to the last minute to get some cake by the time it's nearly gone!

So she had strawberry filling and cream on her cheek. Hope didn't have to look so smug about it. That could have been from earlier, she was just careless about wiping her face this time.

Well it could've been!

 _Sloth_

She hated for things or people to slow her down. She wasn't a very patient person, well when it counted and when she really wanted to get something done.

But she suppose it's alright to indulge in a little down town when Hope huddles up to her for warmth and company while she kept watch on their small group. Fires burning and waiting for the down pour to cease.

 _Rage_

There were a lot of moments, especially in the beginning when Lightning was very angry, even almost losing it that her eidolon had attacked Hope. After that she did her best to quell that anger, after all she wasn't the only one suffering and cursed because of the Fal'cie.

But seeing Hope getting taken down by that awful pack of lobos, the group knew that they were eating pretty well tonight.

 _Gluttony_

She had a habit of coveting people she got close to. With everyday passing on their journey, Hope was becoming such a person. She couldn't help but stick to her promise to protect him as much as she could. Something about him being young and looking up to her when he was scared made her heart jump in her chest and her face light up with a small smile and then she'll catch herself hugging him more often then she would like to admit.

Hope loved the attention sure, but having Light in her own way fussing over him 'hurting' himself because he fell off the chocobo was just too much and embarrassing.

Overprotective Lightning was just as overwhelming as 'cold, ruthless and stay the hell outta my way Lightning'. It was like you couldn't win, no matter what Lightning you got.

Now Hope too could sympathize with what Serah must have gone through with her sister as he silently allowed Light to fuss at him and smooth his hair down…and…oh god! Did she just do that annoying licking her thumb to wipe the dirt smudge off his cheek thing?!

 _Envy_

She wasn't jealous…

So what if Hope was making attempts to bond with Fang? Or was ignoring her after their little argument? Or was giving her the space she said she needed away from him? Or was idolizing Fang like he did her? Or that Fang kept mocking her with those idiotic shit-eating grins that told Light how much she enjoyed being the cooler, sexier, big-sister mentor to Hope.

Pfft! Fang surely loved to toot her own horn, sexier than she? If you loved the exotic wild type!

The point is she didn't care at all! Hope could do whatever he wanted, even if that included being corrupted by his new idol!

And no, she was not turning red in the face because he managed to say her name, look at her with that puppy eyed look of longing. No her heart did not just skip a beat from that pitiful look he sent her way.

And NO! She didn't just break her makeshift eating utensil because his attention was back on that _other_ woman who wrapped her arms around his shoulders and whispered something in his ear that made him laugh!

Nope, Lightning was not jealous of Fang at all!

 _Lust_

Six years ago if you said Lightning was going to suddenly find herself having the hots for Hope Estheim, you would have gotten suckered punch or worse.

Lust was a funny thing, one minute you're not giving much thought to someone you've known and treated like family for a long time.

The next you catch yourself staring at an older, roguish looking, taller than you, oblivious to how he's flexing certain chest and arm muscles, boyish smiling, gorgeous shy green eyes, and cute ass strutting Hope Estheim.

Just a moment ago, he was just that kid who finally grew up that she mentored and who was her pupil and came over her house to visit when he could.

All of a sudden he's that young man that comes waltzing in her kitchen with no shirt on and only wearing his green jean shorts, strutting about without a care in the world or how his anatomical make up was making her hormones pick the perfect time to go haywire.

He smiled at her she thinks she might have giggled like a silly school girl when he looked her way.

Didn't matter for all she remembers is maybe faintly hearing Hope's nervous protests to her dragging him by the wrist to her bedroom.

She'll just later blame this all on the fact that perhaps she's went too long without feeling a release of sexual tension and she was at the highest peak of her ovulating cycle and Hope just happened to be the poor fool who got caught up in the spider's web.

Eh, he'll thank her later for it anyway.

 **Alpha:** …my drabbles are a fucking goldmine! (awkward laugh) A goldmine I tell you! Oh god why am I sharing these again?!


	7. Liquid Salt

**Alpha:** …omg why am I sharing these again?!

 **Disclaimer:** same as the first.

Many Worlds One Shot Collection

 **Liquid Salt (Hope/Lightning)**

 _"I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Estheim…"_

The white haired locs of a man in his late thirties, recently turned thirty-nine in fact, blew in the crisp December air. He was looking out to the golden-red and purple horizon of Gran Pulse with silent morbidity.

Not faraway from him, sat his wife of eighteen years hunched over, staring into the same sunset. Pink tendrils blowing with the wind, each strand turning white and gray as the days passed but it never stopped her from looking more beautiful in his eyes.

But he knew enough to know Light was evading him, still choosing to carry her burdens alone, and blaming herself, willing to sacrifice her needs to take full responsibility. Always forgetting that, it wasn't just her burden either; it was his too. Silly woman sometimes tended to forget that he was here for her when she needed someone to lean on.

He saw the browned, crumpled leaves, weak and unable to withstand the unbearable winds any longer snap silently to be whisked away in the wind.

It didn't silence the silent sobbing coming from the woman a few feet away.

On one hand alone, Hope could count the precise number of times, he ever bore witness to his wife's silent tears.

When she thought she lost Serah forever in her crystallized form.

At their wedding.

And when Sazh passed away one year ago.

This was one of those few instances in which he was privy to those tears now as silent as she tried to make them. It was useless the quavering breath was carried with the wind back to him.

He walked in stride to her side. Giving her a due moment of silent grieving before taking it upon himself to comfort her within the confines of his arms.

"I wouldn't have made a good mother anyway, not like Serah—" it was the very first thing; full of bitterness that came out of her mouth after she stopped shedding a part of her pain.

He grimaced at the finality of which she said it, "That's not true, this time was a bad one, we can try—"

"There isn't a next time Hope!" he held a sad expression at her outburst. She was trying her best to quell the shuddering he could hear easily in her voice, "You heard what he said, I'm too old, I waited too late!"

She wanted him to understand the severity of the situation he knew. Light didn't want to hear anymore hopeful suggestions about their predicament. She didn't have to though, he knew how upset she was about it, he was too.

"Yea, I heard what the doc. said, you're not old, and—"

She was refusing to look at him, blue eyes filled with unshed tears, looking out to the horizon as she sat on the cold grass, "I wasted away my time, making excuses…I don't deserve you, You've never asked much from me even when we first met…and I ruined it for you Hope!"

He couldn't endure to continue to look into her eyes, such sadness laid there that he never saw before from his wife. She stared at him with very apologetic eyes, again blaming herself because their last chance for children was permanently taken away.

He knelt behind her, taking her in his arms and holding her as tight as he could, not wanting to let her go. He felt Lightning bury her head within his chest as she continued to speak.

"I knew you wanted children, I've always known and now I can't even give you that! I'm- I'm less of a woman because of it!"

The vehemence in her voice spoke volumes. She was afraid. Light was afraid he would leave her for good, find someone more capable.

Someone fertile for childbearing.

"You didn't ruin anything for me and I'm not going to just up and leave you Light for someone younger just because it seems like we're unable to have our own child. And I know you wanted a child too."

She quieted as he continue to speak, doing what he could to console her, reassure her he wasn't going anywhere, "We've always been in this together, maybe it was just not meant to be but it doesn't mean I'm going to leave you!" his hold on her tightened as he felt her fingers fist around the fabric of his light green sweater. He pulled her back to stare in her eyes, still glassy looking from her tears.

"I love you too much to do that to you!" he pulled her back to his chest, planting a kiss on her forehead, his voice growing soft, "Foolish woman, you should know this by now."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for," he smiled at her, the both of them getting up from the ground.

Lightning watched as his smile grew wider and his eyes brightened with the sign that he was thinking of something, "We can try for adoption if you'll like?"

She softly smiled towards him, "I'll think about it."

He watched her make her way back into their home with a little more strength to her spirit, "I know you'll make a great mom."

She turned around with a smile that she was trying to keep from blossoming fully on her face, "Hmm, you'll make a great dad."

With that she walked through the sliding doors leading to the kitchen and was soon out of sight.

Hope knew they'll make some child very happy.

 **Alpha:** wow…this always makes me sad…


	8. A Break from Normalcy 2

**Alpha:** …seriously why did I have a great idea to repost these?! Here's some crack!

 **Disclaimer:** same as the first!

Many Worlds One Shot Collection

 **A Break from Normalcy II (Hope/Mini-Light)**

Okay!

Her mission was simple, clear, and precise!

Her targets sighted, seven month old Light was ready to battle!

…If only she could succeed in walking on her own from the sofa to the edge of the coffee table and then to her Hope's side to do battle with the hellion that was keeping him away from their adventures!

Only she had the unofficial rights to hog all of the silver hair man's attentions. She was the cutest female there! That loud shrieking, nasal, fake laughing dark brown hair bimbo was no comparison to her.

Her round baby cheeked face pouted.

Her options slim, she could do one or two things;

Cry like she's never cried before…

Or

Try to be a big girl and finally master her motor skill for walking.

Either way, her Hope would come running, but it would be so much more rewarding if she could just make it over the next two feet without tripping and embarrassing herself.

She would bite the living shit out of that woman if she made stupid goo-goo eyes at her or tried to pinch her cheeks, she might only have two front teeth, but they were some sharp killing teeth! Fang can back up her claims, she saw her bite a kid once who tried to pour sand on her head at the playground.

And as far as goo-goo eyes and pinching cheeks? She'll only tolerate that nonsense from Snow and only Serah and Vanille can pinch her cheeks. She also didn't like how the female was making weird noises at her Hope either.

Stupid banshee!

Besides, falling on her bottom hurts! And there was a diaper rash forming somewhere on her left butt cheek because someone let Snow take diaper duty. She never has any ugly rash problems when Sazh changes her. She liked 'Papa-Sazh' changing her, he always used that nice smelling white powdered stuff that tickles her nose and makes her sneeze and there was that sweet smelling stuff that made her think of strawberries.

Thinking of Sazh, she was going to accomplish catching Chocobo the next time he was around, she had a bone to pick with the baby chick.

She looked sour, that thing still was here! Oh! That's it! She was going over there so her Hope can get back to doing what she loves best!

Playing with her. They still were in the middle of an adventure, they were on the hunt for these 'fal'cie' things and the castle her Hope made for her out of her large building blocks and legos was still standing and waiting for them!

She was doing good so far, ten whole steps without the aid of holding onto anything! She was confident! She was brave! And her Hope was cheering her on and watching her!

Just a few more steps, she was happy! She was going to do it! She was about to complete her mission—

And she fell…

Hard!

On her buttocks, on that damn rash caused by Snow! It hurt really badly and her Hope looked upset too.

She cried.

She cried loud and hard and screamed.

Her face red and pink and flustered from anger, pain, embarrassment, and maybe some hints of jealousy too.

And then she felt herself being picked up by strong arms, being held close to a warm chest and a soothing beating heart. She heard her Hope, coo to her softly, trying to calm her down and make her feel better.

He doted her with kisses and compliments, wiping her teary stained face, and she quieted.

For all the stupid, loud, and colorful splash of ribbons and barrettes in her hair and the extravagant dressy dresses she was confined to wear because of Snow and Serah to look 'super-duper cute'; it was worth it when she got to hear her Hope tell her how lovely she looked.

Light-chan was so immersed into her Hope's attention on her, she hadn't notice the monster with brown hair banished out of sight. Looking put off with her Hope and baby-sitting 'the menace'.

Serves her right!

She wasn't that bad! Stupid wench!

And her Hope said she was a 'Perfect Angel!'

And if her Hope says it, then it's true! So there!

"I'm sorry about my friend there Light, do you want to continue our game?"

She nodded her head and they set off to continue their adventure at her make-shift castle. Her play sword was right where she left it.

Well mission was a ninety-two point five success rate today! She might not have completed the mission to walk without falling.

But she sure won the war for another day to have her Hope all to herself!

No one takes her Hope away from her.

No one!

 **Alpha:** I should've just kept this in the dark recesses of google docs…to rot away in virtual internet hell…but I live for the crack so yay?


	9. Indirect, Whispers

**Alpha:** Enjoy!

 _Many Worlds One Shot Collection_

 **Indirect (Hope/Lightning)**

Who knew that one could find the simple act of sharing a double scoop of vanilla ice-cream could mean so much more than it should?

No, _**really?**_

Who was the fucking genius who first came up with such a thought?

To Hope, sharing this small cold, iced, confectionary treat with Lightning was the closest he was going to get to a kiss.

Much to his dismay.

But!

Being fascinated in childish wonder as her pink pert lips went to push itself on top of the swirly dessert, to take more inside her mouth.

He gulped, mouth parted open, eyes going wide as he stared at her, she being oblivious to his dumbfounded gaze, so wrapped up in her own world as she ate ice-cream.

And if that wasn't enough, her tongue came out to lick…

Lick!

The side of the ice-cream, seeing a part of the vanilla melting in her mouth.

It made the young teen involuntarily shudder; deep within the back of his mind he was wishing he was that damn ice-cream cone.

Lightning finally looked over at him with a bemused expression.

"I'm finished, would you like the rest?"

It was like angels were singing a holy chorus in his ears.

"Sure, why not," he said nonchalant at the woman who most likely took his awestruck stare as drooling for the ice-cream when that is far from the case.

But Light didn't need to know that.

The older of the duo smirked at him before giving her attention to the lovey-dovey couple in front of her, Serah and Snow.

And Hope was busy repeating what he saw Lightning do onto that ' _poor-mouthed-molested'_ ice-cream cone.

An indirect kiss was better than nothing at all.

 **X- Whispers (Fang/Vanille, Light/Hope)**

They were really close to each other.

Like really close.

Like so close, there was no more room for their breasts to go without bumping into each other.

Yea, that's how close they were to each other, sitting side by side, smiling, snickering, blushing, and being playful with one another.

And every now and then, one of them would look back over at her and the boy. And then they'll resume their whispering, which quite honestly she didn't see the point of. Didn't the two Oerban women have their own language that no one on Cocoon can understand?

Ugh! They were doing it again! Whispering, staring, whispering, snickering, whispering, smirking, and the cycle repeats. It was beginning to get on her nerves and she feels like they know this and were doing it on purpose.

She cut her eyes away from the duo, instead looking at the youngest member of their group, with an annoyed face, arms crossed and legs crossed too.

Hope must have a knack for sensing when she was feeling unpleasant because he looked over to her staring at him with a hard look.

"Hey Light, you okay?" he leaned in close, scooting over so she'll be able to hear him.

Because ya know, he whispered.

Her eye twitched.

"Light?" he did it again.

She huffed, "It's fine."

See, there was no need to whisper.

"What's fine?" he looked genuinely confused.

As he whispered.

And they were laughing at her! The damn nerve of those Pulsian women!

"Light are you sure you're—"

Out of aggravation and the lack of having nothing to hold to soothe her need to kill Fang and Vanille, she grabbed hold of Hope's head, moving him very close to her and said, "I'm okay Hope, there's nothing to worry about okay?"

She didn't notice she whispered it softly to him at all. He was just stunned.

"O-okay Light," she barely heard that.

She let go of him, watching him get up to go take care of whatever he seen fit to take care of.

They were whispering, she looked over at them with a glare, but Fang only smirked more and Vanille was holding in her laughter.

"Cute scene, that." A simply reply from Fang.

And then Lightning was shocked at the realization of what she done, and then she scoffed whipping her head away from them, all to conceal the blush brushing itself upon her face.

 **Alpha:** yea some short-shorts…


	10. Eyes of the Beholder

**Alpha** : I can't with this one…oh god…

 _Inner Thoughts_

 **Eyes of the Beholder (Light/Hope)**

Blue eyes known to be cold like ice, hold the fiercest glare demanding respect and when the light hit her irises just so, shimmered with flecks of green; crinkled with mirth as she quietly flipped another page in the book. These days, she wore glasses to see, eyesight wasn't as sharp as it used to be.

" _Like emerald crystals."_

It was what he used to say to her. She never took his word for it, though years later she would find herself staring up close at her eyes, trying to see the 'beauty' he saw. For he had stopped telling her, stopped admiring her. He turned his green eyes to another. Eyes like brown sugar with the sweet spice of cinnamon. Almond shaped and hair like midnight, texture like the hairs of a newborn babe.

Another page flipped and she laughed good naturedly at a photo taken many years ago. A moment in time when the whole gang got together to meet after five years apart; right after they saved the world. The laughter made the many wrinkles she accumulated over the years more pronounced around her baby blue eyes and around lips that had thinned from the firm thickness of youth. The luster and pink glow they use to have were lost now in time.

She took a good long look at her hand. The one she used for turning the pages in Serah's photo album. Her hand spoke of a woman who lived a long life, with lots of experience, wisdom, hard times, wonderful times. It was wrinkle, like the rest of her, from old age. The smoothness of young flawless skin, making way for skin that lost the elasticity of the young, with many cracks and lines making grooves in the skin. Her hand was callused, well it was always that way, she couldn't remember a time when the palm was soft and smooth, docile, feminine, something to drive a man wild. Though there was only one man she's known that loved her hands…use to love her hands. She never minded the rough feeling of her hands, it came with being a battle harden veteran all her life.

Her age wasn't something she dwelled on for too long. She didn't like those small moments when she would begin feeling regrets. She wanted to know when she finally passed on to meet her dear sister and some of her friends in heaven, she would not take any regrets. Staring at her hand made her recall memories she mentally fights to remember until the day she dies. Old age was said to make one senile and she was too stubborn to be beaten by forgetfulness, always kept a sharp mind, even at seventy-five. She flexed her fingers, the feeling was a weary ache and movement, slow. Her fingers were a little bent out of shape, due mostly to getting arthritis in the joints. It was not like she would be able to wield a gunblade anymore.

Long retired from the Guardian Corp, not from choice but from an injury sustained on the job thirty-four years ago. Even to this day, she was regarded as a hero and given highest honors for her active service in the GC.

She gave off a soft sigh, looking at another picture. This one making a plethora of mixed feelings resurfaced. The smile on her face was a war between happy, sad, regret…She had to be about twenty-eight then and he was celebrating his twenty-first birthday. Subsequently when the picture was taken, it would be the last time she would see him until thirteen years passed by.

He had moved on from her or so she thought at the time. He found a woman, five years younger, twelve years younger than she. The girl's beauty was to be envied, and she was exciting, vibrant, lived life to the fullest, everything she was not. How could she compete with that? He was just beginning his trip into adulthood, while the girl was on the cusp of hers. And she? She was pushing thirty, already showing signs that her hair would turn almost gray before she hit thirty-five. The light red strands, once beautiful like a full pink rose in bloom were soon to wilt with discoloration from age. Her eyes, even then were beginning to wrinkle from the bags she kept from overworking and stress. She always saw herself as old, even acting it when in truth she was just in her prime; but she wished she knew then what she knows now.

And the icing on the cake? That woman filled the spot where she should have stood, by his side…being _his_ wife, having _his_ four children…because…because she wouldn't have left him! Dying of an incurable illness so young, making him grieve. Leaving him to care for their children alone.

But was it so bad as what she did to him? Between her and that woman, it was a bit of mercy. Where as she was still alive, still around, and a constant reminder of a broken heart. She pushed him away. And for a while he was stubborn and would not heed. And yet she pushed, and pushed, and pushed until he was finally fed up. He left her alone because he thought it was what she wanted. It was what she thought she wanted too.

The truth of the matter? She was scared and insecure about herself, about how much she denied her real feelings for him. She convinced herself that he didn't know what love was and that he wasn't truly in love with her, oh how wrong she was. Looks like it was she who didn't know anything at all. And when she's at last ready to give in to her emotions, it's already too late and he has someone new. And she wallows in her own self pity, going through a string of lovers that only lasts for a night. And after her pity party, she shuts everything out and goes through the motions of living on auto-pilot. An autonomous cycle of work, sleep, work, sleep, work, sleep, and so on and so forth.

But then he returns to her, coming to help her, to take care of her when he heard of her injury that prevented her to work. Around the time, he loses his wife. And she embraces his return after thirteen years of absence. And for a time they helped each other. She's never had children of her own but she helps him raise his as if they were her own. She had helped Snow and Serah raise her nieces and nephews, she use to baby-sit Dajh for Sazh. They all said she would be a good mother; she never gave it much thought until now.

But she wished she could have had at least bore one child for him, when they had melted into the passion of each other's arms. Seeking solace and old confirmations of hope that love still lingered. She always looked into his eyes. He was older and more wiser and beginning to look more like his father than his mother as the years passed. And she would snicker at the irony that as a boy in his youth with naturally white hair, darker strands of color would start popping up. Hues of dark grays and a little of the sandy brown that his father once had. But his eyes would always be the same. Those glorious beautiful green gems that held such love for her and almost pained because of that love and knowing it will never be returned. Because she knew she couldn't replace his late wife and it was too late, for her.

So the fantasy of being together with him ended as soon as it began. Like before, she was the one who pushed not wanting false hope, not wanting to believe what she saw in his eyes was real for her. He was wiser now and understood. And she wished he wasn't so. He thanked her and walked out of her life again. And she still was not strong enough to run after him to make him stay.

Seven years passed again and he returns. Sweet Serah leaves them, meeting Sazh, their parents, his wife, Fang and Vanille…and the baby that would have been if not for the still birth. It leaves just her, him, Dajh now an adult, and a broken Snow who had his children and even a few of their children to comfort him.

He had comfort her, he always has. He had stayed with her long after everyone left, standing there in the downpour, as night began to descent on them, cold and freezing, giving their final respects to her sister.

And then he left again.

But every year for about a few months, he'll stay with just her. And when she was with him, hmm, he made her feel young all over again. The lovemaking was like it was their first time, heated, full of lust and passion. And sure she was older and his hair was graying, but his eyes still remained the same. And they looked at her, even with her appearance, he still somehow managed to make her feel beautiful. But he long ago stopped telling her the words. But that was just fine, she knew deep down the feelings were still there.

Fifteen years of being with him, she finally tells him after so many years that she loves him. And she sees his smile and she's made him happy and now he can know he can rest in peace. He has a sickness on top of his golden years they don't know how long he will live.

So she takes advantage of the time he has left with her. Though she doesn't think she can take going to another funeral, she snaps at him that's he too damn young to be going out like this before her, he only laughs at her, telling her that joke is way overdone and that he's just as old as she.

She doesn't want to be alone and he tells her she won't be alone.

A year later, they lost Snow; she didn't think she had ever cried so hard and he is getting weaker from sickness. But he's determined to hold out for her. Because he doesn't want her to be alone—

"Claire?"

There is a slight shake of her shoulder. She opens her baby blue eyes to him. Reading glasses up on her nose, she must have fallen asleep. Strangely, she feels weaker than usual. She can't put her finger on it.

"What are you doing up? You shouldn't be up on your feet, bad for your heart."

He laughed, "When are you going to start worrying for yourself for once Claire?"

She scoffed, "What is there to worry about, I'm still here probably for another five good years and who needs to worry about some old dried up evil hag who throws manadrives at naughty kids who need to stay off my lawn?"

They both smirked, "I knew I should have never told you about that," Lightning cracked a smile. It was quite cruel but the most fun entertainment she's had in a long while. Serve those delinquents right. Not her fault they don't learn what those devices do the first time around.

He sighed though, "And how many times must I tell you, you're only as old as you feel. It doesn't matter how many wrinkles you gain, how much your skin gets pasty, or your breasts sag—"

"Hey watch it!"

"Or gray your hair gets Light, I still find you beautiful. You'll always be beautiful to me and I want you to know that I love you, that I always have and always will," he sat down next to her, taking her hand within his own, squeezing gently. He felt her squeeze back, but it wasn't as strong.

"I love everything about you, have since I was fourteen, and your eyes Light, they always remained the same, even now they still sparkle a pretty blue and when the light hits the irises just right, I can see the swirls of green in them. Like emerald crystals."

She knew and prayed that his feelings for her were still there, deep down and they were. It finally took her fifty-five long years of denying herself the happiness she could have had with him from the start to come to terms that he really loved her. Loved her more than his late wife; she never lost the place in his heart he had for her. She was his everything.

She was beginning to feel her eyes water, "You know if there was a way to turn back time, I would do a few things differently. But I'm glad that I got a chance to do things right before I wasn't given the time to."

He gave her a wry grin, hiding the obvious strained sound in his voice while he looked at her. She looked more tired than he's ever saw her.

"Come on Claire, you're starting to sound like you'll kick the bucket soon, you still got more birthdays to celebrate with your nieces, nephews- grand nieces and nephews."

She chuckled, "Perhaps, but I want you to know, I'm thankful. Thank you for putting up with me all these years, loving me all these years, I'm glad I got to know you Hope."

She squeezed his hand as tightly as she could with all her strength, she suddenly felt the last of her regrets leave her, she wouldn't feel bad when she finally meets the Maker, "My, I feel tired. I think I'm going to rest right here for a little bit before making dinner."

Hope watched her close her eyes as she rested. She had a serene smile on her face. He hadn't seen that smile since saving Cocoon. The hold she had on him weakened and then fell limp. He could barely feel her pulse now. He smiled sadly, moving to stand and kiss the woman one last time on her forehead. He knew in a few hours she wasn't going to get back up.

"Rest now Claire, you most of all deserve it."

 **Alpha:** I'm sad again…I made myself sad…


	11. Fatal Attraction

**Alpha:** I made myself sad again…so I'm giving you this precious crack which was a spur of a moment thing back then!

 _Many Worlds One Shot Collection_

 **Fatal Attraction (Hope and the Girls)**

Most seventeen year old hot blooded young males in the timelines of their youths could only dream of having the life Hope had right now.

There was a sudden movement beside him, a soft feminine body on one side of him. Another equally, but shorter feminine body on the other; a warm hand that caress his chest seductively underneath the long gray shirt he wore to bed just last night. He felt the ever familiar legs of the second female move slowly up and down his own, enticing him.

Then he heard his bedroom door slam open with an aeroga spell. But he was too tired to deal with the oncoming duel he knew was getting ready to take place. He laid still even as he allowed the two women whom somehow forced their way in his bedroom that morning to continue to molest him as they pleased while trying to ignore their advances and to go to sleep, though it was proving quite hard to do.

"What the hell do you think you're doing to Prince Hope!"

And then the arguments began, for the eldest Princess and heir of planet Eden stood in the middle of his bedroom with the most pissed off look he's ever known. Looking pissed while wearing the sexiest piece of clothing he's ever gotten to see her in, all the while holding the blade form of her blazefire saber.

The russet haired woman looked ready to unleash a deadly thundaga spell if not summon Odin in his room first.

"Hey Vanille, looks like Miss Priss over there doesn't seem to know what seducing a man looks like," this was said by Fang who seemed to love getting reactions out of said woman who stood with anger in her eyes.

The other woman, Vanille chuckled while looking a bit worried at their rival/enemy hoping she wouldn't get zapped by her next spell. "Now, now Fang I'm sure she was educated in that subject, otherwise she wouldn't look a smidgen upset about us being so close to this cutie pie right here!"

"I'm going to give you two to the count of three before I blast you!"

Hope sighed, feeling lethargic and really not keen on dealing with this… _again_. Here was where he decided to try, very unsuccessfully to prevent the two women from fighting. "Please miss Light would you stop calling me 'Prince' I'm not royal to anything. And Fang, Vanille would you get off me and stop purposely picking fights with Lightning. I didn't get any sleep last night because you guys kept me up arguing and I have to be at school in four hours, I don't think I even finished last night's homework either!"

At that, the woman known as Lightning looked guilty, lowering her weapon down and the electric charge of energy that was her lightning attack. "My apologies Prin- uh Lord Hope! If you need extended help on your studies I'll be more than happy to make it up to you!"

"Not unless it's on sex ed," Fang quipped, still making herself comfortable next to Hope. Vanille, taking Hope's request into consideration, hopped off the bed, though she didn't quite remove herself from the bedroom entirely. A little afraid to walk past the other princess who blocked the room's entrance and exit.

The Amazon princess of Pulse rose Lightning's ire again by her vulgar jab. "What are you still doing next to Lord Hope, you vulgar woman! And not everything is about sex!" she shouted.

Fang lowered her face close to Hope who still had his eyes closed. He could feel her breath on his cheek and then he felt a tongue lick that cheek which was followed by a small kiss. Even after all of that, Hope was not at all startled enough to open his eyes, this sort of thing happened almost everyday since they been staying at his home.

"Hmm, he tastes just as good as he smells," she sniggered at the rising anger in the other woman.

The raven haired woman finally got up, sitting down on Hope's bed as she dared Lightning to come at her with her hazel green eyes.

"Fang! You didn't have to kiss him like that!" Vanille cried, feeling a bit betrayed and a little shocked, why didn't she think of that?

"That is it! I'm going to kill you!" and right on cue the two women started to fight.

All you could hear was the aggravated scream of Lightning, the mirth and insane laughter of Fang as they fought magic to magic, sword to spear. Vanille made a run for it out the door barely escaping unscathed.

Meanwhile, Hope just laid there, grabbing for his music player, adjusting the headphones to tune out their fighting. He felt his bed creak and shake from the boom and noises of high level lightning and water spells being hurdled at Fang. He even felt some water splash his face, but he didn't care right now.

He heard a debuffing spell nearly hit him in his face, Hope just turned away tiredly. When they were done trying to slit each other's throats, he'll think about chastising them for destroying his living space…AGAIN!

"Is that the best you got?"

"This isn't even half my power!"

Downstairs, you could hear the raging battle of two sexy but deadly hellcats from space duking it out over a guy who could careless right about now and just wanted some shut eye.

"My sister and Fang are fighting again," Serah stated, she was busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast for everyone. There was another shake, then a boom, more yelling, and Serah could swear she heard a 'I'm gonna fucking kill you' thrown in but wasn't sure.

"They're at it again," Vanille sighed as she sat down on a barstool at the island in the kitchen. Serah just mildly glared at the red head.

"Well I know for a fact they wouldn't be doing it if it weren't for a certain someone," she mumbled under her breath.

"Where are the others?" Vanille inquired, not seeing the other women that stayed with them or Sazh and Snow.

"Out, went shopping."

Another clang, boom, more yelling.

"I really wish they stop it."

"I should have went out with Lebreau and the others."

When the battle was over and the top part of Hope's bedroom was missing…AGAIN, Hope finally sat up groggily in his bed before looking at both women with a deadpan expression.

"You two do know you're going to have this fixed up before I come home this evening from school right?"

Without waiting for a word from either woman, he slowly got up, looking like he just survived a war, walked past the two of them and silently went to sleep in his father's unoccupied room to get some sleep.

Sometimes Hope really envied those ignorant hormonal driven fools. They could still _imagine_ what it was like to have a plethora of women in their company. To have a hundred women in a harem they only read in their fantasy novels and comics.

They could blissfully _imagine_ because they simply did not know the true horrors of living with so many women! To hell with a hundred of them, Hope had the unfortunate fate to know five of them, outside of his own mother; who was traveling uncharted regions of the universe somewhere right now, probably having the time of her life! While his father made excuses to stay away from home at work, somewhere peaceful and serene to get away from all the overwhelming crazy that intruded their house a little over four months ago!

No wonder most men dealt with finding companionship with only **one** woman. Because anymore than one and he'll end up being driven mad or worse sent to an early grave!

 **Alpha:** yeah…these crack drabbles…I got fucking nothing to say…


	12. Sin of Comfort

**Alpha:** Part 1 of 2 drabbles back then that motivated me to do the Averian Rose Story.

 **Disclaimer:** same as the first ya'll.

Many Worlds One Shot Collection

 **The Sin of Comfort (Theme is a little Mature)**

He was short and lithe for his stature. But she supposed it is to be expected from a child— no, not a child but a growing young man of fourteen. Though Lightning bemused herself with the thought that her newest addition to her working staff could do well with putting on a few pounds. If he was to be any use like he adamantly claims he is to work in the fields, he was going to need some toughening up.

As it stands, Lightning was less than thrilled that the lad couldn't even hold a simple cutting axe correctly without coming close to hurting himself or others around him. She did not have the patience to be coddling and pacifying the help.

The Lady of the house had been close to kicking the child out on his behind to fend for himself in the harsh uncaring streets of Bodhum since he was proving to be incompetent for doing the tasks she gave him. The boy was just very lucky to still have a place to rest his head and warm food to eat by the constant insistence of her younger sister Serah.

It was a quiet kept fact that Lightning bended over backwards for her sibling. Not wanting to seem overly heartless in Serah's eyes…she was not a truly cold and ruthless person.

She just did not have the patience to deal with inept individuals and Hope was a weak link she didn't want or need to deal with. But his tenacity and stubborn will to not give up no matter how much he failed; sparked her interests and so she continues to keep him around her manor.

But when she learned from her sister of the boy's plight, she had a change of heart. She now knew why he was not cut out for harsh labor. It still didn't make her any less angry when she demanded for him to explain why he lied to her.

"I didn't want to be used as your service doll!"

Dolls…It was a pet name to put it lightly for those, mainly young adolescents unlucky to find themselves sold to those for the sole duty of being their _personal_ servant…and that was putting it lightly. But it was not hard to guess that this boy had the misfortune of learning the ways of sexual intimacy with his prior owner or owners well before maturity.

"You did all of this, just so you wouldn't be subjugated to being my plaything?"

He never once backed down, looking her in the eye with such determination, "Yes Ma'am."

"What do you take me for?" She yelled, slamming a fist onto the dark cherry wood mantel piece of her living room, "I should have you kicked out of my house on your ass for such accusations!"

He nearly flinched at her behavior but did not stop himself from staring at her or cowering away. He watched the older woman begin to pace about in her living room quarters.

"I am not that kind of woman and neither is Serah!"

For how long he's been allowed to stay with Miss Farron and her sister, that had proven to be a truthful fact. They were the first women of a higher social standing then he that had no taste for using him to please their feminine prowess. If anything, Lightning barely gave him the time of day and the kind Mrs. Villiers was happily in love and married to a man that her sister did not approve of in the least.

"Just because I'm still _unmarried_ ," she had spat that last word with disdain, deep loathing, and spite. She also had a deep frown on her face, "Doesn't mean I'm desperate!"

She said all of that vehemently at the thought of using a child in such a way…she sees him as one. A gentle pup that, instead of being frightened and backing away from her like everyone else except Serah, followed her wherever she went. Without even giving it much thought, he had wormed his way to be attached at her hip and now it was at the point that if he was not around her it felt odd.

Yes, Lightning swore her word to Hope that he had nothing to fear. She would never beckon for his attentions in such a way. She didn't have to but she always made sure to reassure him of her disdain for those types of actions.

So why was just allowing him the tiny comfort of holding him close to her bosom made it feel like some taboo was being broken? There was nothing wrong about comforting the boy. It was he who had initiated the entire ordeal! Not she!

After knowing of his predicament, Lightning had decided to task him with light house duties or making the boy run errands for her and Serah. He took to his chores vigorously and was useful for something after all.

Again over time, he just sort of stuck to her and she allowed it without argument.

On this night of all nights, she allowed permission for the silver haired youth to enter her bed chambers and read to her at his request. Reading a few chapters a night only to pick back up where he stopped the night before. This time when he finished, he didn't make a move to leave her with her thoughts.

He looked melancholy, he had been for days. Something within her kept her from snapping at him to go away, so she crossed her arms sitting on her bed, waiting for him to begin talking.

And talk he did. He spoke mostly and very fondly of his late mother, spoke little of his father, and of a young woman by the name Vanille with whom he got separated from during an incident that happens a few months prior to meeting her.

Without warning he hugged her, it caught her off guard but Lightning didn't move to push him away or reciprocate the action. She was the one who gave him this impression that it was okay to hug her as he pleased since it was she who hugged him once in a small display of affection.

She inwardly sighed, breathing deeply and wrapping her arms around his back. She saw his face. Young and enviously adorable take on a look of sleepiness. She was beginning to see how his looks were the cause of his plight with other debutantes. He was amazingly cute and sweet and not to mention very eager to please.

She ended the hug, shifting blankets around to settle herself for sleep and without thinking much about it offered to share her bed.

"Get in."

Hope looked at her startled for a second. Now alert than tired, staring at Lightning with apprehension. She had moved over, giving plenty of space for him to sleep next to her without the need to touch.

She sighed, furrowing her eyebrows with that look of annoyance, "Either get in or get out, I don't have time for this."

Seeing that the woman was really staying true to her word, he slipped underneath the warmth of the blankets, next to her. Finally settled in, he looked over to her, she didn't make a move to touch him at all, instead turning away to face the windows on her left, her back facing him.

"Um…my lady?" he was beginning to feel a little awkward and just a wee bit put off. He couldn't explain it, but he wanted her to touch him again…nothing bordering on sexual of course, just holding him.

"Go to sleep, that's an order," she muttered from her side of the king sized bed, still unmoving from her spot.

"But I can't sleep," he whispered, green eyes looking to the top of the canopy part of the bed, "My lady…could I hug you again?"

He heard a very un-lady like snort come from the female next to him in bed, "Oh now you're asking for my permission?" She was amused with this boy, now turning around to face him.

He had the good grace to blush brightly from embarrassment and realizing his impulsive mistake to touch his mistress without her consent. "S–sorry about that my lady—"

She ceased his ramblings with a small flick to his forehead, "Lightning."

He stared at her questioningly, she rolled her eyes and shook her head, "I won't allow you to just always do what you like and definitely not with you calling me _my lady_."

She wrapped her arms around him, bringing him closer to her warmth as she closed her eyes with a sigh of exasperation, "Just call me Lightning," she whispered.

She felt rather than saw him nod his head, "Okay…miss Lightning." They'll have to work on that another time, silly boy was falling fast asleep.

Lucky him, she however could not. A small part of her was rather enjoying the feel of his nimble and small frame against her own. It felt…very nice. The boy didn't make things better by having the need to cuddle into her more, his head full of silver locks was nestled in her breasts.

If only she knew that was going to become his very special spot to rest his head for many days to come. She should have just told him to go away. If she had done that, she wouldn't be feeling some form of guilt, liking the way they felt close to each other just by holding each other….the boy had somehow managed to wrap her around his little fingers and she didn't mind it at all.

Lightning decided she would deal with this ordeal at another time. She could lay down ground rules for this night being the first and last night she would indulge this boy. He would listen to her, he had to, she was his mistress. She knew she could, but she wouldn't. As long as it was _he_ who had the courage to ask her of small things like this she would give in.

It was fine to indulge him as long as he initiated these situations between them and not her. She already felt like she was crossing the line and breaking her promise to him, but cuddling was fine and it was all Lightning will allow.

At least, that's what she keeps telling herself.

 **Alpha:** so…a part of me hopes this can tie ya'll over for just a bit while I fervishly work on the next five chapters to Averian Rose…yes? No?


	13. Guilty Pleasures

**Alpha:** I…bring you more old one-shots…yea I got nothing…

Many Worlds, One Shot Collection

 **Guilty Pleasures (Lightning/Hope)**

Lightning prided herself on many things. Like for instance, it was very hard for someone to surprise her. Making this bet with Hope as childish as it was, she knew she would win. And when she did, she'll hold back in gloating to the young boy's face, instead giving him one of her small grins, ruffling his soft baby fine silver locks, and encouraging him to try besting her next time.

It had become somewhat of a weekly routine, a game between them and Light had immensely enjoyed these bets no matter how asinine they seemed, she forgotten who started it all in the first place. She was more than curious as to why Hope had degraded himself with the type of bets they made, wearing different clothes and costumes just to get a reaction out of her and failing miserably. She often wondered if he had a masochistic side of him that made him endure this sort of torture. In any case, she knew she was about to win again…

That is until she saw him in all his white fluffy glory.

She didn't know what she was expecting when Hope rushed head first into their little bet refusing to back down. Because he never wants to back down, something he picked up after their journey together a year ago. He never wanted to show how weak he was to her since then.

"So, what do you think Light?"

He looked so haughty and full of confidence for one wearing– what he was currently wearing. Ice blue eyes looked with total shock. She was speechless, her mouth hanging slightly ajar.

Hope looked at the strawberry blond with a bit of worry, "Light?"

"Uh…" was all she uttered, a small drip of red fluid trickled from out her nose but she didn't notice.

"Light! Your nose, it's bleeding!" Hope startled, running out of the living room to grab a handful of tissues.

He was so…so…the curly cotton softness of that white suit, the tail, oh my god! His cute small ears! That costume, it fits him so well!

Hope came rushing back into the living room running up to Light with a handful of tissue paper.

"Here, wipe your nose."

Light just nodded her head, limply taking the tissue from his hand which were into matching gloves to complete his ensemble. She put the tissue to her nose, as she soaked in Hope's full figure.

She mumbled something, trying to look as nonchalant as possible with a rosy hue on her cheeks and holding tissue to her nose.

"Huh? What did you say Light?"

"Make the noise…"

"Noise?"

She nodded in his direction, indicating his costume. Understanding what she wanted from him he kindly obliged; all the while his cheeks were infusing with blood.

"Baa-baa."

Light's face went redder and her eyes widened.

"Baa-baa, baa-baa!"

Hope could have sworn he saw a bit more blood sprout out of her nose. Though now she had tissue to wipe it clean. She was trembling as she if she was trying to hold back something within her. It was making him worried. Her face was very red.

"Baa, baa, baa ba—!"

"You're the cutest sheep I've ever seen!"

One second, he was making baby sheep noises, embarrassingly dressed in this sheep costume, the next he's engulfed between Light's arms, face pressed to an amble chest with nice cleavage and hearing the most girlish squeal to ever come out of Light's mouth.

She was snuggling him like he would often see girls who fawned over things they thought were small and cute.

His face grew warm all over again and a leer of victory spread from cheek to cheek, "Looks like I finally won a bet Light."

With a start, the older woman was brought back to the present, blue eyes staring into jade orbs. Hope couldn't help but smile and laugh a little sheepish at her look of disbelief. Seeing that she wasn't going to talk herself out of this one and knowing when she was defeated, she sighed.

She looked him in the eye with a wry smile, "So you have, and what is my penalty for losing?"

Hope just gave her an innocent smile, rubbing his hand behind his neck looking uncomfortable, "I don't have anything yet, but I do have a few things in mind."

He was safe as long as Light did not have a clue to what he did have in mind. She was going to object to wearing that cute uniform Serah made her for last Halloween for an entire week, or he could just have her do his homework, or maybe he could—

"Well tell me when you have something in mind for the week," she finally stated, effectively cutting off his thoughts. The blush on his face was slowly disappearing.

"I will, now I gotta change out of this costume. It's kind of itchy," he looked uncomfortable in the suit now.

"Wait before you go," he waited until he heard a few snapshots and his eyes spot up from the flashes of Lightning's digital camera. She stood smirking at him, "It's for a keep safe."

Was all she supplied before he left her alone. She waited until he was upstairs before looking at the pictures saved on her camera.

She smiled with a tiny blush and a girlish giggle.

He really was adorable as a sheep, it fit him so well.

 **Alpha:** yea…no comments here…


	14. Friday Night Showing

**Alpha:** here have MORE crack…

 _Many Worlds, One Shot Collection_

 **Friday Night Showing (Light/Hope)**

Awkward…

Just very, very awkward was enough to describe that entire night spent sitting on the couch, with flushed faces, avoiding any type of body contact, with eyes wide with awe, glued to the new HD TV Snow insisted on getting Light for her birthday.

The red head on the screen gave out a sigh of pleasure mixed with surprise with what the silver haired protagonist was doing to her person.

Lightning silently continued to watch the latest episode of the program Hope insisted they watch instead of the usual horror flicks or the cheesy cliché chick flicks Serah would suggest they watch. Being the adult here, it would have been the responsible thing to do to discontinue watching this show as the source material was too…mature for someone like Hope.

Not to mention the thick atmospheric pressure of feeling uncomfortable and involuntarily feeling slight prickly and tingling sensations in places she rather not be feeling. Especially sitting so close next to the young adolescent by her side who seemed to be highly engrossed into the entire show.

She silently wondered if Hope knew all along what this show was really about and just knew how to play the 'innocently naïve' façade to get his way? But she dismissed that idea when she saw just how genuinely shocked he was when they watched the very first episode.

And if Light thought the night couldn't get better than this, Hope borrowed the 'uncensored' version from a friend no less.

She should have stopped the dvd right after that scene with the suckling— among other things. Though admittedly, she was very curious about the entire thing, even if she found the thought and reasoning behind how the fighters kept themselves strong highly ridiculous and absurd.

I mean it _does_ have a redeeming quality to it. The battles were not all that bad and it had a lot of chemistry, seems the plot didn't suffer too much.

Aside from all the unnecessary need to fan service it up like crazy, they were on episode fifteen and Lightning swore she must have counted the exact number of times she saw a breast peek out of some clothing one way or another.

And then there was all that— suckling. She shouldn't feel it, but she was very embarrassed when she watched that and then blue eyes were quickly glance over to her couch sharing partner.

Inwardly she chuckled, since the first sight of a breast his face hadn't really moved at all. His face was red as a tomato alright and she swore his breath would hitch high or low, depending on his…reactions to what he saw.

So aside from everything she listed under sun about the show, things shouldn't be this awkward.

But it was.

Because no matter how she tried to not look at it, she couldn't help but replace that spunky red-head and that silver haired kid with the same eyes as Hope with two people she knows so well.

At first she had found humor in it.

And then it sort of annoyed her, imagining those fictional characters being replaced by Vanille and Hope.

Until she silently saw herself in place of that red-head.

And then those prickly, tingling sensations would come back in full force. She'll find herself moving as far away from Hope as possible. Not able to get the images she formed into her own mind out of her head.

"Let's stop it here for tonight," Hope finally said, hitting the stop button on the DVD remote.

Light didn't think she would ever feel relieved to hear those words, "Sure, it's well past time for us to hit the sack anyway."

Hope let out a small yawn and stretched as he grinned at Light, "Heh, yea, we can always continue it tomorrow. So what did you think? Pretty cool huh?"

Lightning gave Hope a bored look, completely the opposite of how she was feeling inside, "It's…mediocre at best."

"Aw come on, that's harsh Light, I thought it was an interesting use of the table of elements."

There was a slight tinge to her cheeks, she crossed her arms. "That may be but everything else was…totally unnecessary. We shouldn't even watched it as far as we did, what with all that fan service."

He kind of blushed at that, "We didn't have to ya know."

She was getting ready to head straight into her own bedroom, "I watched it because you wanted to watch it."

"So that means you'll continue to watch it with me tomorrow?"

"We'll see."

Hope gave her a soft smile, all the while there was a slight rosy hue to his face, "What did you think of the two protagonists?"

"Goodnight."

Was all he heard before her bedroom door shut rather rudely in his face. The platinum hair teen was kind of perplexed, though didn't take offense to the gesture.

He blinked a couple more times before sighing and turning away to go to his own room.

"You know it's okay to admit that they kind of remind you of Vanille and me!" he shouted at her door.

He wasn't expecting the strawberry haired woman to come out of her bedroom, opening the door wide open to glare at him.

"Are you crazy! Their relationship is nowhere near being similar in any way or form to you and Vanille, and the thought of you doing _that_ to Vanille would be absurd. If anything the bond between those two would be far more suited to the one that I–" she suddenly stopped herself realizing her almost little slip up.

Hope was looking at her with awe, "Light I never said anything about relationship wise, I just meant the appearance somewhat with the hair color and all…"

"I know that," she flushed.

Hope just shook his head as if agreeing with her, "Right, I'm going to bed now."

Light turned around to go back in her own room, "You do that."

"I didn't know a show about suckling boobs for power would make her so high strung." It was uttered under his breath but somehow Light still heard it.

His reward was a pillow to the head and the second lovely sound of his house mate slamming her bedroom door.

 **Alpha:** yea…apparently I was tired when I wrote this…yea I was tired A LOT when I wrote these yrs ago. Hurray for crack! Yea…


	15. Sin of Comfort II

**Alpha:** Part 2 of 2 drabbles back then that motivated me to do the Averian Rose Story that I am very much working on.

 **Disclaimer:** same as the first…

 _Many Worlds One Shot Collection_

 **The Sin of Comfort II (Lightning/Hope very VERY Mature, so srs.)**

She shuddered, her body quivering from the deep rooted lust he was bringing to the surface of her being.

Hope's mistress bit her bottom lip. The soft sounds of her moans enticing him to continue his journey to satisfy her in every way. He had dreamt of the day when he could help sooth her aches. Aches that only came from one not giving into temptation to love and explore their own self.

She bottled up all her desires, refusing to let them flow and overtake her. Now that he was here, he would see to his lady knowing pleasure and reaching nirvana.

He loved to watch her writhe under the touch of his fingers and the touch of his lips. Lady Lightning was beautiful to him when she was lost in the realm of desire. Her blue eyes would close; her perk pink lips would become parted to let loose the sounds of her pleasure. Her light cherry colored hair would be splayed around her to contrast with the dark colors of silk sheets.

Right hand tenderly caressing the skin of her cheek, the swan like slope of her neck, the firm heavy feel of her breasts that she still kept hidden from his view; but only barely. On summer nights like these, she would wear thinly veiled camisole tops, in which he could still see the full roundness of her breasts and the dusky rose tips of her nipples. The taut expanse of her abdomen, the curvaceous regions of waist and hips, the soft firm shape of her long sultry legs.

His lips would then take the place of his hand. Kiss her cheek, the neck where her vein could be seen, her collarbone, the place between her bosom. He'll kiss, then lick before finally biting not too hard on a pert nipple through her night shirt.

Left hand moving tantalizingly over her most sacred place, making her jerk with the slightest touches, teasing her before giving way to touch her further within. He'll remove the thin cotton layer of undergarment, as the material would trail its way down her thighs, legs, to her ankles and feet.

Now, the lower half of her developed body was bared to him. He wasted no time, diving into her, fingers sliding down against her most precious place. He would open her up, rub her slow, rub her fast, going further, feeling her around his fingers. She would be warm, moist, wet…tight.

Her face would become red and contort in pleasure. He'll move slow, he'll move fast, steady, impatient, soft, hard, and with every tempo of motion he will be closer and closer to bringing her to the peak. And the closer she came to that point, her sighs would grow, her moans louder, her back arching, her legs widening, her fist tightening around the sheets.

Watching her was fascinating. He marveled at the power he had to see his lady, a woman known to be cold on the surface to those around her, lose herself to more forbidden appetites. It made him groan softly, it was very pleasing to see what he does to her.

And he wouldn't let her unwind all her pent up tension just yet…no, he'll stop the motion of his fingers, as she panted and whined. He'll move down lower, his lips kissing her inner thighs, before his mouth would join with his fingers to continue the onslaught upon his lady's body.

Her taste was sweet, her smell, erotic and he had to have more of her. He was greedy, and selfish, and spoiled by her and because of her.

At least for the small moments he immersed himself into loving his lady, he was grateful to those other women who had once sought to use and play with him against his will. The skills he had learned from them proved to be useful to him now. He never knew he would ever come to wanting to use them to please another woman, but for his lady…Hope would move the world for her if he could find a way to.

She let out a sort of cry that sounded like a sob. Her legs slowly beginning to release their tight hold upon his shoulders and once again, Hope was kissing her thighs tenderly before letting her go.

And when it was over and his lady would come back to her senses, she would stare into his eyes for a mere moment. She would be in awe before the familiar feeling of shame will wash over her. Her face will be flushed from embarrassment, humiliation, and loss. Coming down from her orgasm; she'll look away then, turning her body away from him, refusing to say anything for the rest of the night.

At this point, Hope always had the option of staying with her or leaving. And every time afterwards, he'll stay. He wanted to stay with her. He didn't want her to feel ashamed. He knew what he was making her partake in was basically asking her to break her promise to him.

It was all screwed up and insane! How he use to loathe the women that used to make him play with them, touching, fondling, squeezing, petting…He hated the station he was forced into and wanted out. And out he did, by the help of his new owners.

Yet, he ends up finding himself back into the role of a pleasure pet for another older woman. Only this time, it was he who wanted to play and the mistress unwilling. He knows Lightning could send him away, she could become angry and cold and dismiss him for these selfish acts he couldn't help but commit on her.

She never did, and Hope had selfishly used her act of kindness and her ability to say 'no' to him against her. He couldn't explain it; it was just something about her that he desired to have. He desired her and he made it very clear to her every night she allowed him to entertain himself with pleasing her.

"I'm sorry Light," he will tell her, moving closer to her, patting her shoulder and leaving tiny kisses there; caressing his cheek softly against her arm.

"I'm sorry, I don't want you to feel ashamed, it's my fault that I'm so needy. I enjoy loving you, I'm glad that you allow me to…my lady."

She'll turn around to face him with a frown; she hated him to call her by that title. "I thought I told you not to call me that."

She would then hug him close, burying her face within his still growing chest. Hope would just wistfully smile. It was a sign of hiding herself, she still felt ashamed about what she allowed him to do to her.

He wouldn't say anything more; he'll allow his mistress to fall to the world of dreams. Having her hold him was enough for now.

 _Someday, you'll come to accept this, my lady."_

Alpha: *shrugs* Yea…I still to this day don't know whether to feel elated or horrified that I even thought of this or that this drabble sparked what would eventually become Averian Rose…my mind is a dark place.


	16. A Break from Normalcy 3 and 4

**Alpha:** enjoy more madness part of the _**Break from Normalcy**_ mini-series! XD

 **Disclaimer:** same as the tick tocking first ya'll damn!

 _Many Worlds, One Shot Collections_

 **A Break from Normalcy Mini Series**

Never in her wildest dreams had the youngest Farron sister ever think she'll have the chance to see her big sister like this!

Light giggled at her sister's goofy facial expressions, reaching out to pull on Serah's side ponytail.

Claire Farron was _the_ cutest baby she had seen in her life!

And she wasn't just saying that because she was her sister.

No, everyone who saw a glimpse of the solider now would proclaim it the truth! With her cuteness, and the guilty pleasure she felt about dressing the five month old baby in the most adorable outfits ever, Serah was seriously considering entering her sister into those baby pageants.

Or perhaps, Lightning's super cuteness would get her to be the next face of _'Gran Pulse Baby Today'_ magazine?

First prize was ten thousand gil.

If only her sister was her own child. Claire would never forgive her for finding out what she reduced her to when she was in this state.

None of them could make of what or how her sister came to be this way. So far they didn't have any success in finding something that could prove useful to better understand Lightning's predicament or even how to break this spell. If it was a spell, other than Light morphing back into a baby, she had been growing pretty rapidly from the three month old body they discovered when Hope brought her home that day. Maybe whatever was happening to her sister had its reasons and in due time will run its course.

It was weird, getting to see Claire as a baby when it was the other way around. Now she was the oldest sibling, at least for the time being. There was a guilty part of her that was actually enjoying spending her time with her sister like this.

As a baby, Claire was more approachable, happier, and full of innocent wonder. She wasn't stressed about money, or taking care of her, work or harassing her husband. Carefree, and not afraid to show her true feelings, opening up to her and their friends. Of course she couldn't speak yet and Serah does miss the small moments where she'll try to have 'girl talk' with her sister or get advice, but those moments were a rarity that they didn't have time for anymore.

So spending all the time she could with her sister in this state, she was going to take advantage of it to the fullest. Baby Claire was a small glimpse of nostalgia for her. Of a time when she could remember her sister being happy and spending time with her before she closed herself off after their parent's death.

The youngest Farron sister, smiled down at the sleeping baby in her arms.

It was her turn to take care of Claire now and be the one to take on the burdens of responsibility. For as long as this phenomena lasts, she'll give her sister the childhood she's missed out on.

And there was an added bonus to taking care of Claire like this; it was also good practice for her when she and Snow had their first child.

Claire might get mad, but she was too cute not to dress up and style her head full of growing pink curls.

Yes! A trip to the mall was a good way to begin bonding with Baby Claire, "Don't you think so Claire?"

Her sister started wailing, completely catching her off guard.

 **A Break from Normalcy IV (Fang/Mini-Light, Sazh)**

There were times where little Light could tolerate being watched by Fang.

And there were times when little Light wanted to hurl Dajh's toy soldiers at Fang.

Being stuck in this god awful pink designed girlish high chair of doom to get fed that disgusting mush that was supposed to pass for healthy spinach was one of those times that Light wanted access to Dajh's toy soldiers. And once again, the toddler wished her sister 'Cee-cee' and 'Uncle Goofball' had taste in color coordination!

Honestly, just because she had pink hair and was a girl did not mean she wanted to be surrounded by the color! She had thrown a temper tantrum over the fact those two dressed her up in this pink dress, with the pink socks, with the pink patent-leather shoes, and the pink ribbons in her hair that were camouflaged by said hair! And if that wasn't enough to get the toddler into a crying fit that lasted two hours before coming over Sazh's place, Serah and Snow not only put her in this ugly pink dress, they put on the one with the stupid colored plaid doggies! She hated plaid!

If she had her way, she'll choose red, or black like she seen on that pretty shiny metal toy that none of the adults would let her play with. She cried over it for hours until she fell asleep, missing out on Papa Sazh taking her out for some ice-cream. She would even like colors of blue, or pale yellow, or green, like the color of her Hope's eyes.

"Come on and stop being stubborn!" Fang inwardly sighed for the umpteenth time, trying to get the spoon passed Lightning's mouth.

Seventeen month old Light shook her head, refusing to eat that gooey green stuff, "No want!" It's not that she didn't like spinach, oh she loved it, she just didn't know what the hell Fang was trying to feed her.

That was not spinach! She saw spinach, she knew spinach and that crap that came in that small glass jar with that baby's face on it was not spinach! Speaking of nasty food that came in those same glass jars Fang put on her plate, listening to Vanille's genius advice, was not real food. That wasn't mash potatoes; where was the gravy! That wasn't corn; corn isn't supposed to look like spit up! And where the hell was the meat? Where's the meatloaf? Oh my Cocoon? Did Fang kill the meatloaf again! She wanted some meatloaf with ketchup.

"Eat it, it's good for you!"

"No!" She pushed the spoon and Fang's hand away from her mouth, getting irritated. Where was her Hope? Or better yet, where was 'Cee-cee' when you needed her!

These poor fools can't do anything right! Didn't they know by now their routines in taking care of her? Papa Sazh was the _one_ exception. Little Light slapped her hand to her face.

Serah feeds her, not dresses her up.

Sazh took care of changing her; well he took care of everything when the others couldn't.

Snow was actually quite good at caring for her when she's sick and reading to her or getting her to take a nap. Not the one who should be picking out her essentials.

Hope is the one that buys her things and plays with her.

Fang is supposed to be her interior decorator, her fashion consultant, and fixing things when they broke. The woman had classy tastes in the proficient uses of strollers and best of all she never chose anything pink!

And Vanille was…well she was back-up…like in extreme emergencies kind of back-up. She also made her things. Like Mr. Carbuncle who was sharing in her feeding torment at her side in this uncomfortable and ugly high chair.

"Can't you just take one bite? For me?" Fang had now sorted to pleading with the pink haired baby.

"Not food!" What part of this is she not getting?

"It is food!" The ebony haired woman growled.

Lightning slammed her balled fists on the high chair's feeding table, glaring and pouting her small lips at Fang, "No!"

"I'll prove it is food and good too!"

Light smiled curiously waiting for Fang to try and prove her wrong. Blue eyes watched on as the Pulsian woman took a small bite out of the cold small spinach.

"Mmm! It's a little cold now but it's so good Sunshine! I can't believe you're missing out on this!"

The woman turned baby just laughed. _If you like it that much you eat it then_!

Like she was going to fall for that one, she preferred what was on Fang's plate. Real spinach, mashed potatoes with gravy, corn on the cob, and that meatloaf! The toddler licked her lips, smacking her mouth together.

Oh! Now that is what she's talking about! Give her some of that!

Especially since Fang was enjoying her food a bit too much, but watching her eat _her_ food was making her more hungry; plus it looked really good too. But she wanted some meatloaf to go with her side dishes.

Fang's purpose was to get Lightning into wanting to eat her dinner, thinking she wouldn't enjoy the baby food she set out for her, "This is—tually pwetty good!" the ebony haired woman said between mouthfuls.

Light stopped laughing, going from a small chuckle to a small smile that turned into a frown as she watched Fang devour her entire plate.

 _Okay you fed yourself my food, now gimme yours, you greedy pig!_

"I eat!" the cherub of gaudy pinkness proclaimed to get Fang's attention.

"Okay, okay just hang on," the raven haired woman replied, realizing she finished the baby's entire dinner plate that had this ridiculous picture of a clown that almost reminded her of Snow.

It's really no wonder, Light got used to it, seeing her reaction to their trip to the circus. Fang wasn't fond of those clowns either, and one of the creepy bastards tried to flirt with her. A mime no less!

The lady in the blue sari walked over to the cabinets in Sazh's home where she knew the baby food was kept for soldier girl sitting there in the ugly high chair Snow brought her. _They really have no tastes at all do they_?

She almost felt sorry for their first child if they kept up with choosing poor color combinations.

"Eat! I eat!" Lightning was pouting, starting to become none too pleased with waiting.

"I heard you the first time, I'm moving as fast as I— wait?" Fang felt herself go pale suddenly.

"Eat, eat, eat, eat…" Light decided to sing a silly chorus of the same word over to keep herself busy while trying not to have a fit over waiting for Fang to hurry it up. She was moving all around to her song while banging her stuff toy, the infamous Mr. Carbuncle on the table.

Fang's slate colored eyes looked over to the child with slight annoyance and amusement, "Will you knock it off?" She was going to be in so much trouble though. It was only a short amount of time before Lightning went into one of her epic tantrums and it won't even be the child's fault this time.

Light stopped, staring at Fang with a deeper frown, "Not tell me wha' ta do!" she said in all her toddler glory, pointing her finger at Fang and doing her best to make her trademark cold stare, which only succeeded in making her look like a cute, spoiled baby rather than her original twenty-seven year old self.

Fang put her hands on her hips, "Don't you sass me little Miss Sunshine! I'll have you know, I'm in charge here!"

"No ya not!" Light yelled, having a hissy fit, she threw Mr. Carbuncle down on the floor, out of her reach.

Fang shook her head, feeling ridiculous she was arguing with a one year old child. "Think, think, what can she eat?" the cabinets were empty. No small jars of baby food in sight. She turned around where Light was, trying and failing to pick up her stuffed toy and her plate of food she didn't touch still on the table.

"Jackpot!" the Pulsian quickly headed to the table to get the plate of food, warm it up a little in the microwave and then sat down in her seat in front of an annoyed and frustrated looking baby.

"Okay Sunshine! It's eat time!" Fang said with excitement. She was smashing up some parts of her food together to make it easier for Lightning to chew and swallow. This got Light's attention away from her toy for the moment.

She smiled, about time Fang got it right. She eagerly opened her mouth to take in the small spoonful of potatoes and meatloaf before turning back to trying to get Mr. Carbuncle.

She started making whimpering noises, straining herself to reach him but not claiming her toy.

"Sunshine, come on stop that now, I got food," Fang sing-song to Light but it went ignored.

Lightning was beginning to kick up a fit, wriggling around in the high chair, kicking her feet and pulling at her hair. "Ca'bun-key!"

Fang, seeing what the child's dilemma was, set the dish aside to pick up the stuffed toy that somehow got stuck between one of the squared holes in the high chair. Light's blue eyes looked on in curiosity, worried for her one true friend out of all her toys.

 _What are you doing with Mr. Carbuncle?_

Strawberry head of curls and matching ribbons leaned over to see her current baby-sitter trying to free Mr. Carbuncle from his confines. She frowned up again watching the dark haired woman pulled hard on his head but the rest of the body wasn't following.

They both heard a little rip, Fang swore under her breath and Light made a tiny whimpering noise. "Don't worry Sunshine I'll free Mr. Carbuncle for ya!"

The toddler wasn't convinced of Fang's declaration and confident smirk. For crying out loud! She was seeing cotton beginning to come out from the rip in his neck!

 _Fang, what are you going to do to Mr. Carbuncle!_

Light watched on in horror as Fang, frustrated with Mr. Carbuncle not getting freed, yanked really hard on his blue-green head. The loud tear of fabric ripping and stuffed cotton come out of the toy set the poor child off.

 _She killed him…she killed my one true friend!_

Fang looked as horrified, shocked at what she done to Light's favorite stuffed toy. The one Vanille made for her. She looked from the freed head in her hands to the body laying limp to the side on the other side of Light's high chair. She looked up to see the toddler was whimpering before her face scrunched together for a loud wail, tears streaming down her face.

"Oh shit!" the woman cursed, "Shit, shit! Ah! Sunshine, don't cry it was an accident!"

 _Oh no! Fang killed Mr. Carbuncle!_

The baby wasn't hearing any of that, instead crying even louder, very clearly hurt by what Fang has done. The woman in blue was not making her situation better by holding the ripped toy in front of the crying child, looking quite lost for what to do.

"Papa! I wan' ma Papa!"

Light was now calling for Sazh, who was not back yet from running errands with Dajh. Fang groaned. It figures that out of the group, Lightning would choose the old man as her father. Well, if it wasn't for Sazh, all of them would be up shits creek dealing with Lightning in her predicament.

"Papa isn't back yet—"

"PAPA!"

Fang felt like banging her head against the wall. The way Lightning was carrying on, screaming for Sazh, you'll think the Pulsian committed a in the child's eyes, she did. She sighed, _"Now I want Sazh to get his arse back here._

 _Stupid, stupid Fang! I would have eaten my food! Why Mr. Carbuncle? WHY! He didn't deserve to die this way! What did he ever do to you Fang! His sole purpose in life was to give people joy and comfort! That's what Vanille told me and now…now!_

Fang murdered him in cold blood right before her eyes! Oh the humanity!

The midnight haired woman put the toy down gently on the table, coming closer to Lightning to pick her up out of the high chair, hold her and try her best to console her.

"There, there Sunshine, Auntie Fang's got ya!"

"BAD FANG!"

Or not.

Lightning hit Fang's hands away from her, still crying, pulling at one of her many pigtails from frustration.

"Hey! I'm not bad, how rude!"

"Ca'bun-key gone!" it was too easy as a baby for Lightning of all people to make her feel like complete shit. The innocence of a child knows no bounds and she would be lying to herself if she didn't think she was suckered in by Lightning's cuteness. How could trying to release the toy _Light_ got caught end up with her being the bad guy here?

She felt really lost, she caused this ruckus but Light was not allowing her to sooth the pain over her lost friend.

"What in the hell you doin' Fang?" the young woman looked up to see Sazh walking in the kitchen with groceries in hand. Sazh had just came in without Fang even realizing. He didn't sound angry, but he had a deep frown on his face, hearing the cherub wailing about something.

"Uh-oh you in trouble now!" Dajh added, before running out of the kitchen, earning a glare from Fang. He enjoyed Light as the next person but her cries often got on his nerves. He didn't want to stick around until someone quieted her. Chocobo chick following after.

"Sazh! Thank Maker you're back, she won't stop crying."

"Why you got my baby girl crying? I can hear her as I'm walking all the way down the street!" he quickly set the bags down on the countertop, freeing his arms to go over to the baby who was still crying for him.

"She's not your real baby!" Fang scowled, crossing her arms. She watched as Sazh took her out of that godforsaken high chair, bouncing her lightly up and down, patting her back to get her to be quiet.

"She sees me as her daddy, don't she?" he said, pleased that the strawberry haired menace was starting to kill the noise, reduced to a blubbering mess of whimpers. Unable to face the killer of her one true friend, she turned her head away from Fang, placing it to rest on Sazh's shoulder as he rocked her.

"Now why don't you answer my question?"

The Pulsian's scowl deepened, but now she was feeling awkward, "I uh, I kind of, sort of…broke Mr. Carbuncle."

"You did what!" Sazh's eyes were popping out of his sockets. Of all the— breaking that toy in any shape or fashion meant instant death! That wasn't just any toy! That was _the_ toy! That toy is Light's equivalent to a security blanket!

And speaking of security blankets…yea, she had one of them too, given to her by Hope. Nobody wanted to know what hell they would go through if you even _looked_ at that green blanket with the rainbows the wrong way.

"Well I didn't do it on purpose! I just sort of snatched it and the head came off!" she said defensively.

"How? How do you manage to do that one!" the older man was shaking his head now, "You ain't take it from her did you?"

"I didn't take it from her! Gods! She dropped it talking her smack at me while I was fixing her dinner and being the good baby-sitter I am, I was trying to free Mr. Carbuncle from a hole he got stuck between in that awful high chair!"

Lightning took this moment to turn her head around to face her enemy, sucking her thumb and making a mean face at the Pulsian, while laying her head down on Sazh.

"Fang bad!"

Fang stuck her tongue out at Light, now annoyed at the way the brat was being very spoiled, "Oh put a behemoth in it!"

"Fang, stop arguing with my baby girl," Sazh reprimanded. She huffed, rolling her eyes, "The only thing we gotta do now is fix the toy, think you can do that?"

"Hmm, yea I can, besides it won't be Sunshine here I'll be hearing it from if I don't, Vanille will tear me a new one if she finds it like this."

Light who was now quiet had been busy opening and closing her eyes, not giving much thought to the situation. She was becoming tired and she didn't fully open her eyes until she heard Fang loudly announce she was back.

Back? Back from where? Fang was holding Mr. Carbuncle's dead remains in one hand while there was a tin box in the other. _Oh? What is she going to do to him now that she didn't already do! Leave Mr. Carbuncle alone! He's gotta rest in pieces now!_

Seeing the murderer had Mr. Carbuncle again in her clutches made the baby immediately sit up in Sazh's arms.

 _Papa Sazh tell her to put Mr. Carbuncle down!_

"Don't like Fang een'more!" she was on the verge of having a second cry fit.

"Hey now! That really hurts my feelings you know?" Fang shouted. That really did hurt, little brat. She was about to mend the problem she caused.

"Go 'way!"

"Missy, that's not nice to say to Auntie Fang, she said she was sorry about Mr. Carbuncle." Light felt reprimanded by Sazh's words, refusing to say anything else. She instead watched with him as Fang set to work doing something on her toy that hopefully wouldn't end up having Mr. Carbuncle a cripple. Fang might tear an arm off next. She couldn't really see much because Fang was hiding her toy from view.

"All done!" she exclaimed after some minutes of silence. In full view, Mr. Carbuncle was alive! Head nicely attached back to his body by a noticeable thread of dark green.

Light looked to Sazh, to Fang, to her friend alive, back to Fang with a look of astonishment.

Was Fang really giving her Mr. Carbuncle fixed by her own hands?

"Here ya go, Sunshine, Mr. Carbuncle is good as new!" Fang moved the toy forward in Light's face for her to take.

Instead of taking it, she made to move over towards Fang, "Light wan' Fang," she looked to Sazh for confirmation. He smiled, giving her over to Fang to hold and immediately she latched onto the woman.

"Sorwie, Light lubs Fang."

A warm feeling spread over Fang in that moment, she smiled, "Fang loves too." The toddler smiled, getting herself comfortable to fall asleep on Fang's shoulder while sticking the thumb in her mouth and holding Mr. Carbuncle as well.

Sazh chuckled, "This has been a whirlwind with Missy. You think we are ever going to find out how to get her back to normal?"

"There's gotta be some way we haven't found yet," Fang said softly, "You know, I think she would be better off if we didn't spoil her rotten. She demands all of your time, energy, and attention it gets draining after awhile."

"That's how all babies are, heh! I think we're doing fine by Lightning, we spoil her because we want to. Like Serah said, we are all taking advantage of this strange turn of events since we know once she turns back…"

"It'll be back to the same, distant, no nonsense Soldier girl. I complain a lot, but I'm going to really miss her like this," feeling that Lightning was deeply asleep she gave her back over to Sazh who'll do the duty of putting her in bed.

"Me too, but man, that high chair gets uglier the more I see it," he face was full of disdain for the thing.

Fang agreed, crossing her arms once more, "Tell me about it."

"And how many times does someone have to tell Serah not to dress this child in this awful dress? Those puppies are not cute at all, I've seen baby chimeras cuter than this."

The young woman by his side chuckled, "Forget the dress, ya see the way that poor kid's hair is done?"

There was no special style to it, to put it simply it was a pink miasma of chaos. When Lightning turns back out of this mess, Fang has the feeling she was going to begin to hate her natural hair color because of her sister.

"Why is it that when it comes to everything else, Snow and Serah have good tastes but when it comes to baby clothes and necessities they're awful?"

"That's something I want to know the mystery to."

"Wanna break that abomination Snow brought in my house?" he muttered, referring to the high chair that was an insult to color harmony and the color pink in general.

Fang cracked her knuckles with a pleased smirk upon her pretty face, "I won't tell if you won't."

 **Alpha:** …heh delicious crack…hehe…


	17. Unlikely Pair

**Alpha:** Same as the first.

 **Disclaimer:** SAME AS THE FIRST!

Many Worlds, One Shot Collection

 **Unlikely Pair (Slight Mature, ?/?)**

They didn't know how it started or who started it, but alas they found themselves in a tangle of limbs, touching, poking, prodding, caressing, stroking, just, just _feeling_. They could have blamed the night on drinking many glasses of imaginary wine. They could have blamed the odd turn of events on the fact that they were trying to fill a void that no one else could fill.

There could have been many reasons, exaggerated, true, or untrue but the real honest truth of the matter? They couldn't even begin to think of one. Even as he had greeted her earlier that night; smiling and fixating those glorious eyes on her. Eyes that were like fresh cut grass. They hadn't seen each other in a long time. Time had done him well she thinks. He had spoken to her, talking about everything he been through since he last saw her. She didn't mind listening, chiming in with her own stories and even laughing and joking with him as they brought up the days of being on the run with the group.

Through it all, they each had wondered why they had never talked or been this close to each other before? They were close, as close as they each felt to others in their group. But when they really got down to it, there was never a time when they had really and truly spent moments alone with each other like this. There was always this feeling of distance between the two friends.

He was very charming and cute when he was embarrassed. Always was and while older still retained a childlike quality. He admitted that he was kind of intimidated by her but also regretted never really getting to know her back then. He even complimented her, told her she was very beautiful. She laughed and told him she agreed wholeheartedly. Of course she thanked him for the sincere comment.

After she asked about his current love life. Seemed as if they were in the same boat, two single people sailing out to sea with no particular direction. Though she knew that he did try to have a few girlfriends, he was still pining after only one woman. The one woman she knew would never return his feelings in that way.

And so it was with the comment she made while at the same time brushing it off that she ends up finding herself kissing the man she spent the whole evening with. She knew it was wrong to fool around with his emotions but she wanted to help her friend get his mind off of _her_. There may have even been a bit of painful curiosity that led her to making that first move on him. She briefly wonders what it felt like to have someone pine after you, look at you as if you were the only person in the room with adoration that was as raw as it is intense!

And the young man that became her willing lover for that one night did not disappoint her hungry inquisitiveness. She shivered from his gaze, just his gaze alone was enough to make her flesh hot, her insides melt because of the carnal desires they promised to bring to the surface of her very being.

She was usually a fiery and passionate lover, opting for aggressive sex than the slow sensuality that her bed partner for the night was treating her to.

But the sensation of his long piano like fingers caressing her sun kissed cheeks so tenderly made her sigh softly. Feeling him familiarize her anew, in a different way that both had never thought would happen. She arched her back slightly from the bed so her body could feel his hands and fingers take its precious sweet time exploring every plain and valley of her body.

She was on edge, she wanted to move things along, the slowness of which he purposely paced himself with her was driving her mad. And then she felt his mouth and tongue on her hot skin. Wetting caresses that were hitting all her erogenous spots and then she felt those fingers play her from between her thighs.

Just like a piano, she was moaning and quivering, sounds low then high, a perfect harmony of notes escaping her lips, depending on how he touched her.

After some time, she couldn't take it anymore, taking matters into her own hands. She turned around so that she was on top of him, eyes gleaming with promises of pleasurable delights that she knew how to give in her own way.

Where as he was slow and attentive, she was fast and assertive. She took no time, undressing them both, hands moving fast as they roamed the very lean muscular skin of the male underneath. Her kisses were opened mouth, raw, and fiery. They sent his blood curling to heightened temperatures as he was more and more turned on by his lover for the night.

And somewhere through all the touching and foreplay, they manage to finally connect in the ultimate union of love making. Each taking turns to pace the movement and friction and feeling of being joined together. He'll move slow, she'll move fast and sometimes, they changed it up. He'll move inside her with rough passionate abandon, while she'll move slow in order to feel all of him as they moved as one.

They never stopped until they finally reached that few second glimpse into the heavens together. Then after taking a moment to breathe normally off of their high, they'll do it again and again, until they could not go anymore.

For some time, it was quiet as they laid in bed next to each other. Staring at nothing in particular or opting to stare in wondrous awe at the other with nothing really to say. But they just decided to smile at each other, his eyes so gentle as he looked at her, caressing her face faintly and playing with the strands of her hair. She didn't know why his looks after having rigorous and exciting sex with him made her feel so suddenly shy but it didn't stop her from getting comfortable, laying her head against his warm bare chest, falling asleep to the feel of his hands still in her hair.

The 'Odd Pair' they were called. She and him were an interesting mix together. They were the type of people when seen together, made you take a second look and wonder did they really fit together?

The point really was it didn't matter if they did or didn't. If they were seeing each other or not or any of the other nonsense rumored about them.

As friends who sought each other in the confines of sheets and pillows, lost in their own reality and passions, they made the most perfect sense to each other.

 **Alpha** : always liked this one…


	18. Fatal Attraction II

**Alpha:** Yea, I'm realizing that a lot of these are crack induced crazy. Enjoy?!

 **Disclaimer:** Same as the first

Many Worlds, One Shot Collection

 **Fatal Attraction II (Hope and them Girls)**

Not a pin dared drop to the shiny waxed hardwood surface of the Estheim's living room; ending the eerie silence that had befallen all individuals accounted to hear the news that just came out of the very mouth of one; Nora Estheim.

Nor was anyone brave enough to cease the only noise the very woman herself made as she seem to find the entire ordeal completely hilarious as they watched her figure float about inside the communication sphere grid. She seemed to be donning tribal clothes from one of the planets she was currently visiting on her self-proclaimed space adventure. The very same day, she left her only son to survive from the evil clutches of Hell!

And by Hell, Hope means the women in his very presence.

Speaking of which…

Her son; one Hope Estheim, the unfortunate or fortunate hero (depending on how you viewed his situation) of this tale wasn't making matters any better as he sat rigid with his seat on the soft carpet up next to the coffee table; with a huge red blush to his entire face.

He was also staring directly into the equally blushing and embarrassed face of one; Serah Farron; second princess of Eden; who was just as shell shocked by recent news as he was. Her deep cerulean eyes weren't able to lift their gaze from the coffee table where she sat opposite from Hope. Too embarrassed to ask the woman whose figured floated inside the communication sphere grid was she sure of her claim? This had to be a mistake! It just had to be!

 _Not that I mind much, if it is to be Hope...but...Sis...I wonder how she feels about this whole thing? And then my own feelings..._ Serah couldn't even will herself to glance in Lightning's direction. Too scare of the expression she might see upon her older sister's face.

A hard pounding of fists startled both Hope and Serah. The banging of the shaken coffee table ceased Nora's laughter and made everyone turn to the culprit of the act. Serah was a little more than shocked when she realized it was Fang; and not her sister who hit the table with anger.

"Just how long are ya planning on grating my nerves with that obnoxious laughter!" The dark haired Amazon glared hazel green eyes in Nora's direction.

"That's no way to talk to Lady Nora! Show some respect you brazen-" Fang frowned in the other rosette haired woman's direction, effectively cutting off the rest of her insult.

"Why don't _ya_ just shut up for once with your lame ass insults Sunshine! You of all people surely can't be too _thrilled_ with what the hell she's just pulled!"

For what had to be the first time since they started staying at the Estheim's home; Lightning actually listened to Fang. Without a word to confirm or deny the Amazon princess's accusations, the elder Eden princess just crossed her arms and turned her head away from everyone's prying eyes. A slight flush to her face as she glared at the wall.

Nora who remained silent as she listened to the women argue, looked more amused than before. Her face suddenly shaped a predatory grin that would make the Cheshire Cat very proud, "Did I hit a nerve?"

Fang had the grace to blush under Nora's scrutinizing eyes. "As if! I just got really tired of your jokes, I mean there's no way in this hell or the next that you're totally serious about what you just said."

"Huh? At what point did you get the feeling I was joking young lady?" Again, Fang felt a shiver go down her spine at Nora's devilish grin. "Unless of course...you want to marry Hope too."

Everyone at the surrounding table visible blanched at the words. Fang's mouth dropped to the floor and her face was a blazed, from everything from embarrassment to annoyance. Lightning who was refusing to look at anyone, turned her head in that very instant to try and _kill_ Fang with her very glare.

"WHERE ARE YOU GETTING CRAZY IDEAS LIKE THAT FROM!" Fang screamed at the top of her lungs. She suddenly got up from her seat on the carpet, stomping her foot on that very sturdy coffee table as she grabbed hold of the floating sphere device. "I NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT MARRYING YOUR SPINELESS WIMP OF A SON!"

Hope just sat in the background as if part of the scenery with an expressionless face; suddenly being stabbed through the heart by hurtful word arrows.

"Fang please try to calm down!" This was said by Vanille who really didn't know how she should feel about the whole ordeal. On one hand she wanted to act in the way her fellow Oerban was reacting, on the other she just wanted to go somewhere in private to cry. It was a lot to take in this news of Hope and Serah just suddenly being thrown together to marry because Nora just felt like it. Not to mention, it had everyone on edge.

"Well you aren't making much of a case for yourself with the way you're acting," Nora sniggered. "If you really want...I could try to make amends and see if the Consul will allow for more than one wife?"

"STOP CREATING PLANS OUT OF THIN AIR!" Fang turned to Hope who just sat as if he couldn't give a damn if the whole world were to burn and turn to ash right before his eyes.

"And you! Why aren't you trying to talk some sense into your mother! You do know she's trying to ruin your life here!"

Hope just turned his head to look at Fang with a serene smile that hid the despair he was currently feeling. "My life was ruin the moment I discovered my L'Cie powers and you women started living here."

"I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ARSE IF YOU DON'T DEVELOP A DAMN BACKBONE!" Fang yelled.

"I'm glad!" all eyes turned to Lightning. The russet haired soldier princes finally arose from her seat at the table, a look of indifference set upon her face. "I'm glad her Majesty has made it her will to join my sister and sir Hope in holy union!"

"Sis?"

"Lightning?"

Both Serah and Hope looked with worried expressions up at Lightning who quickly turned around to walk away. Light grimaced, fists shaking, "I'm glad it's you Serah! At least that means Eden will have the power of the Holy element, making us powerful than our Enemies!"

Fang and Vanille both glared at the older Farron's back. After all, even if they all slept under the same roof for some time with the Estheim's it still didn't mean that their pasts of eons long hostilities between warring planets just suddenly ceased.

"Claire..."

"No one will be able to stop us with Hope on our side, not even Grand Pulse, so I'm...really happy for you two!" As the pink haired woman walked out of the room, Hope suddenly jumped up to go after her.

"Light wait-" his arm was caught by a feminine hand and he was surprised to look down into the eyes of Serah Farron. A blush suddenly formed on his face as he looked at her. She had an equally flushed look about her, even as she shook her to tell him not to follow her sister right now. Her face also full of worry.

"Give my sister some time...I don't think she wants to talk to either of us at the moment...so..." Hope silently

nodded, agreeing to sit back down next to Serah…

Serah Farron…

Princess Serah, second Princess of Eden Farron…

The woman who has now been officially announced as his fiancée...THAT Serah Farron…

The same girl that said she's been traveling the universe to find her mystery fiancée Serah Farron because her parents had a sick and twisted and evil sense of humor.

Kind of like a certain pair of parents he knows.

With a start Hope shot out of his seat only to faint dead onto the floor.

The shock of what situation he was in now finally caught up with the poor seventeen year old youth:

 _He_ was Serah's mystery fiancée!

And they were to be married for no other real reasons because it just _amused_ the hell out of his mother.

Who he also just finds out is one of the most powerful monarch's in the entire universe.

Has he mentioned before that he really, really, REALLY hates the day he discovered his L'Cie powers?

 **Alpha:** okay have at it, laugh, cry, be immensely confused as hell! Its a drabble...sue me! I did this at the wee hrs of the more back then…I still to do this day have no fricking clue wtf is even half of this!

Also, this drabble officially ends all the old one shot that were once up four/five years ago. Any 'bright' ideas after this is all new.


	19. Foreign Concepts I

**Alpha:** Don't ask me where, when, or how this story even came into being. (A certain amazing author with some AMAZING Hope/Light fanfictions could be to blame *Looking at you H-thar!*) I don't even know. But the idea nagged me, so here's a 'what if two shot', staring our favorite god we all love to hate, Bhunivelze. Yes this is a NEW drabble.

 **Disclaimer:** Same as the fricking fracking first!

 _Many Worlds, One Shot Collection_

 **Foreign Concepts (Bhunivelze, Hope/Light)**

There was truth in the human saying: _Karma is a Bitch_!

Because somewhere, somehow he found himself going through what could only amount to karmic debt. Spurred by his unyielding desire to take revenge and his unquenchable thirst to understand the complexity of human thinking as he forever slept encased in crystal; it was bound to lead to something he nor _they_ were ready for.

But even as he felt what he could only describe as his _own_ soul if you will; being transformed and molded until it was nothing but a weak spark of blue-white light floating aimlessly in a void with no end. The defeated god's logical mind denoted that maybe this was Etro's doing.

And a part of him thinks that he should feel something akin to anger. He wanted to point blame on something other than himself for what lays in wait for him once he found what he sought– or is it safe to say, what he is compel to seek. Another part of him; the grander part that only knows how to see things from a linear perspective knew he brought this on himself.

This was as much as karmic debt as it was a gateway to finally getting to understand the things he wanted to understand about humans for so long…and of course his soul took him to where he was to do all this learning. He knew before he even saw the two sparks of blue fire, twinkling and enticing him like stars in this void to come hither. They were too familiar to the god, it wasn't hard for him not to know to whom these souls belonged to.

They were warm and shined brilliant, spreading light within the void and they were comfortable…it was the only way to describe his automatic desire to find them within the void; to take on whatever lessons through them he is prepared to take and perhaps fulfill his karmic quota—

The first thing his mind took note of when he came to was he was somewhere surrounded by darkness. Darkness, he was accustomed to this really so the surprise of plunging into one void of nothing into another wasn't something that made him feel any different. There was something very different about this darkness however, he couldn't pinpoint what was so different about it other than it wasn't the feeling of being trapped in crystal.

He cannot recall the feeling of being engulfed in some type of fluid. Fluid and darkness was his world now and silence. Bhunivelze takes it in stride because really, he doesn't know if there's any way to feel about this new predicament. He's very sure he's going through some spectacular process to coming close to attaining what he desires.

Revenge and mastering the human heart.

Time in this place had no meaning for him just like it didn't mean much to him in the other void. But a part of him is sure, there is a measure of time flowing for after a while his sea of silent darkness begins to hear faint noises.

A noise that thumps in rhythm, non-stop. He hears it right above him and he doesn't know how but that incessant ba-thump, ba-thump is– its calming? Reassuring? Relaxing? He really can't say. He just _knows_ it has become a new part of his dark world and that he doesn't want to stop hearing it. Whatever _it_ was.

One time, he figures out that he can in fact stretch and move around in this sea of darkness. There isn't much space but it seems he is able to allow wherever this place is to move when he moves. He's aware that he has limbs; two arms, two hands, two legs, two feet. Sometimes when he stretches in this place, he would feel something from outside, pressing subtlety inward. Like it was trying to feel for him. He'll become fascinated with the presses, they would move all around him in a circular motion, always starting from the bottom than move to the top; well what he guesses is the top and bottom.

There are more noises, they are muffled by the barrier and fluid of the place he's in. Sometimes they are high pitched, other times they are low. But he can begin to distinctly make out two sounds out of the rest that pierces a feeling of déjàvu. He wants to feel– _something_! But he's just resigned to listening to the familiar noises because it's all he has in this place. Those voices he believes, break up the monotonous pace of his dark world.

Their voices and that never ending ba-thump, ba-thump. And those gentle inward presses that he speculates is the outside world's way of seeing if he's really there– or is it more like always checking to make sure he's still there? He's not sure.

These things he discovers have become part of his world. And sometimes, he thinks he's dreaming in color. Behind his eyelids, he sees faces that are familiar maybe? The being is starting to forget about things he is sure he is supposed to remember. Wasn't there a purpose to this– what was it he sought to do? Wasn't his purpose to remember that flash of rose pink hair? Or how about those green eyes filled with a high intelligence that suited his needs— what are his needs?

What– what is his name? Does he have one? _Did_ he have one? He's sure he had one, he's sure he had some other life? He can't remember anything! Was this result of spending so much time in this place? How long was he in this place? Of listening to the sounds of that beating drum that rests above his head? Of being lulled to dream by the sounds of two gentle voices and that annoying but welcome feeling of something pressing towards him as if doing so would make it able to feel him?

His mind wants to panic, his mind thinks he's panicking, but he's so unsure of anything!

He doesn't dwell anymore of why he's losing his memories, something inside him thinks this is how it's meant to be. He instead commits himself to guessing about all the things he hears and feels as he moves in this sea and then—

There is a pain, a pain of feeling constricted, of feeling trapped. The sea of darkness he's known all this time has burst and– the barriers that surrounded him are suddenly squeezing him, like it's trying to push him out— He has not a clue where he's being pushed too? But the trauma and the pain of feeling like he's slowly losing his ability to— breath? It becomes that final catalyst that wipes permanently everything he once knew of a previous life.

He– he wants to be freed of this suffocation! He wants to breathe, he wants to go back to hearing that ba-thump, those voices, that calmness! He doesn't like any of this, he wants– he wants to—

He's aware he's crying.

He's aware that he's no longer in a darkness surrounded by fluid. There's a blinding light and it leads to sparks of colors.

He's aware that he can see.

He's aware of two faces that he's dreamt of seeing; there's a niggling feeling he knew them once upon a time. But he's just aware he's happy? Elated? To see them.

See them smiling at him– at him! Her blue eyes are wide with tears, her pink hair matted with sweat but she has the biggest smile on her beautiful face. And the other one, his handsome face mirrors hers. His green eyes are just as filled with tears; his smile big, white hair damp as well but it seems to be from another type of exertion.

It's silent except for their sniffles and they haven't taken their eyes off of him. He too hasn't taken his eyes from them, just as marveled of seeing them as they are of him. He feels for the first time, the man with the green eyes raise his big hands to touch his forehead and the feeling promises something akin to protectiveness? Care? Love perhaps? He still isn't sure what to make of this new colorful world; but he's already seemed to form an unbreakable bond with the man with the green eyes and white hair. And a part of him he cannot explain hopes he's adopted his looks.

And he's aware of being shifted around but a sound he knows all too well is set beside his ear.

That beating drum, the first sound that came into his world, he's aware he has stopped crying because all his curious mind wants to do is understand where this mysterious sound is coming from.

There's a realization, that beating drum is something he would come to learn is the heart and it's not just any heart but her heart. The woman with the rose pink locks and aqua blue eyes. It was she who's heart he's come to know before everything else.

And something about all of this should feel wrong; he should be feeling angry, betrayed because he's sure he came back here to be this woman's enemy. But nothing like revenge or any other depreciating emotions come forth.

There's only a feeling of comfort and warmth, things he's sure he's never felt before but cannot be bothered to try and remember anymore. He knows he's been defeated once again and he doesn't know how.

He's just aware all of it doesn't matter anymore.

And more importantly he doesn't care.

 **Alpha:** there's a 2nd part to this…maybe…eventually…


End file.
